


those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice

by siojo



Category: One Piece
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Wings, Alternate Universe- Half Dragon, Alternate Universe- Professional Athletes, Angst, Baby Luffy, Background Relationships, Breakfast in Bed, Character Death, Cuddling & Snuggling, Enemies to Lovers, Fairytale kidnapping AU, M/M, Modern Valentines AU, Naruto AU, PTA Meeting AU, Sickfic, delinquent au, knights AU, suddenly famous au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-02 09:04:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 23,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10941294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: collection of Marco/Ace/Sabo one shots from tumblr.





	1. Superhero/Villain AU

**Author's Note:**

> authenticaussie:  
> Superheroess!!! (Do you know it was apparently superhero day the other day!? Im so disappointed that i missed it!!) Anyway ;u; - ‘Look, I really need a date to take to this superhero get-together, but I have no-one to ask…will you come with me?’ AU w/ a pairing of your choice? (Or mas if you don't want to pick //w\\\\) ((ALSO STEALTH DATING ?? MAKES ME WHEEZE SO MUCH?? YES I LOVE IT))

Marco doesn’t want to go to the gala. He honestly hates the gala, there’s always too many heroes talking about their great victories over EVIL and letting pretty girls hang off of them like they’re nothing more than decorations. It’s horrible and Marco can’t not go, not when he’s Phoenix, one of the most famous heroes in the world.

Most of the heroes that he had been friends with had all retired, age or wounds finally pulling them from their fights to quiet lives doing something else.

Which is why Marco hates going. He’s got no one to talk to and he spends far too much time ignoring the younger generation talking about him behind his back.

“You aren’t even listening!” Fire Storm shouts throwing his hands up in the air. “He’s not even listening Blue!”

“What,” Blue Gentleman asks looking betrayed. “But Phoenix, you always listen to us ranting.”

“I’m sorry,” Marco sighs. “I’m just tired.”

Fire Storm shakes his head, already bringing Marco down, “Are you okay?” He asks setting Marco in the rolling chair that usually holds a hostage, but Thatch was out of town and they never kidnapped Haruta. “Do, do you need us to beat someone up for being mean to you?”

“We can do that,” Blue Gentleman adds. “We like you.”

“I’m a superhero that beats you up.”

“Yeah, but you listen to us and you don’t just throw us in jail. It’s nice,” Blue shrugs. “You’re also kind of our friend. We can beat people up for you.”

Marco shakes his head, “It’s the gala. The last of my friends retired not too long ago and most of them heroes are horrible. There’s a few that aren’t so bad, but they’re also so in awe of me that it’s- it’s awkward. And I have to go.”

“Take a date!” Fire Storm shouts from where he’s taken over the small area that is used as a kitchen. “That would help right?”

“Who would I take? I don’t have anyone other than family and they’re all busy with their own lives. I can’t make them come with me.”

They exchange a look, one that’s hard to read with their masks covering their faces so thoroughly.

“You could take one of us?” Blue offers finally. “I mean, you’d have to swear not to bother us in our normal lives, but one of us could free up the time to go to your gala?”

“You, you’re kidding aren’t you?”

“Nah, we like you best. If you need to take someone to your stupid important gala then one of us can go to your stupid important gala.”

Marco blinks between them, studying them both in confusion before sighing, “I don’t want to break you two up, you’re a matched pair.”

Fire Storm laughs, “You have some weird ideas about us, bird boy,” He slides his mask up off his face. “The name is Ace. I’m a firefighter.”

“Sabo,” Blue says grinning. “I work at the newspaper downtown.”

“Marco Newgate,” Marco says because there is such thing as being fair and they had told him who they were. “I’m a paper pusher at Newgate Industries.”

“Pay up, I told you he had to be a Newgate,” Ace states holding a hand out to Sabo. “You worry about the old man too much.”


	2. Accidental Child Acquisition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you're taking prompts/want a prompt in the future -> MAS [or MarAce or SabAce] raising a kid together or when one of them have a bad day (and cuddles) or nsfw (first time? anniversary? spontaneous? Oo. MarAce or SabAce are fooling around and the other walks in and joins?) Or anything you want to write that tickles your fancy whenever. There's no time limit to this prompt so if you just want to keep it in your askbox you can(or delete it if there's no inspiration from any of these ideas) <3  
>  from anon

“This is ridiculous,” Sabo whispers staring at the toddler asleep on their couch. “He’s a baby, we’re not responsible enough to care for a baby! Did Garp at least wait until you were there to leave him?”

Ace frowns at Sabo, “You think Garp stuck around? I went to the park and got tackled by all thirty pounds of toddler that called me his big brother. Garp apparently dropped him off just after noon and left him there.”

“You think Dragon would be smart enough not to leave his kid with his dad,” Sabo mutters dropping his head into his hands. “I’ll call him, see if we can’t get this straightened out.”

(More under the cut)

“Already did. Dragon’s headed out of the country for a research dig for the next three years. He said that he would be grateful if we took in Luffy for the duration of the dig. I told him that he would be lucky to get the kid back from us by that point and he had adoption paper couriered over.”

“Oh fuck.”

“Luffy said that I looked much nicer than his other dad and that he wouldn’t mind having three dads, but he couldn’t call us all dad because that would get confusing.”

“Have you told Marco yet?”

“I sent a text, he’s in meetings for the next couple of hours,” Ace glances at Sabo nervously. “I don’t think this was part of the deal when we got together.”

“Me either.”

* * *

Marco is use to Ace’s urgent texts.

They could be about a flat tire to being out of meat to Sabo was in the hospital. Which is why when he finds one on his phone after his meeting, he calls.

“What’s wrong?” Marco asks when Ace answers.

Ace sighs, “Remember Garp called and asked me to visit with him?”

“Yes?”

“Well, Dragon decided, I have this three year long dig to go to, let’s leave my toddler son with my dad. Well Garp decided that I would be a perfect sitter.”

“So we’ve got,” Marco isn’t sure of the name, he has never been as close to Dragon as Sabo or Ace, who was close only because he was forced to be.

“Luffy. It gets worse.”

“I’m not going to like this am I?”

“I called Dragon and said that if he left for three years, he wouldn’t get Luffy back from me. He, well, he took me up on it. I have adoption papers for the kid.”

Marco takes a slow deep breath, “We have a kid?”

“Congrats, it’s a three year old boy?”

“Who’s last name does he use,” Marco asks finally after a long moment of silence.

Ace laughs, “I think he likes Monkey. Sabo is helping clear out the spare room so we can set him up in there. I thought we could start looking for a bigger place? Our apartment isn’t exactly the most kid friendly.”

“We can start when I get home. What about day care and school?”

“Taken care of.”

* * *

Makino has a soft spot for Monkey D Luffy, even though she is suppose to treat all her students fairly. He’s a good kid, for all that his father is a little absent minded and his grandfather was rather, Makino wasn’t sure she had a polite word for him.

Which is why she pauses when Luffy mentions his new family.

“What happened to your old one,” Nami demands snatching her crayons back from Usopp with a frown.

“Dragon-dad had a trip, so he sent me to Grandpa, but Grandpa is real busy so he gave me to my new dads!” Luffy says happily coloring in his picture. “They’re real nice and they like meat!”

“What do they do?” Zoro asks.

Luffy frowns, “Marc-”

“You’re not suppose to call your parents by name,” Usopp states ducking when the table looks at him. “You aren’t.”

“My dads said that I could, cause they don’t want me to feel like they ‘spect me to call them that. They said I could use their names.”

Makino doesn’t doubt most of Luffy’s story, but she does hover around him when it’s time for his pick up and the door slams open.

“Luffy, sorry I’m late,” The man has something black smeared on his cheek and looks like he’s about to die as he gasps for breath. “Sabo had to stay late and we had a fire called in just before the end of my shift.”

“Ace!” Luffy shouts colliding with the man’s knees. “You’re here way sooner than Dragon-dad!”

Ace’s face spasms, Makino thinks it might be with disapproval, but he easily moves Luffy and picks him up.

“Luffy, who’s this?” She asks smiling.

Luffy grins, “Ace, this is Makino, she’s my teacher!”

“Nice to meet you?” Ace says slightly out of breath. “Sorry, Garp dropped Luffy off with us yesterday, we would have picked up the paperwork to change his information then, but Sabo was running late to school and Marco had a meeting.”

“It’s not a big deal. I can get you that paperwork as soon as I get some documentation?”

Ace nods, “Alright buddy, think you can reach into my bag and get that for me?”

“Yeah!” Luffy shouts scrambling over Ace’s shoulder enough to grab the papers that were inside. “Here you go!”

“Thank you, Luffy,” Ace kisses Luffy’s forehead and misses the way that Luffy’s eyes go wide and he sits still for a moment, handing her the papers.

They check out, everything is stamped and approved.

“Let me just,” Makino stops when the door slams open again and Shanks stumbles in with Benn on his heels.

“Makino!”

“Oh no,” Ace whines, Makino and Shanks jerk to look at him.

Shanks grins, “Firecracker! What are you doing here! Lu!”

“Shanks!”

* * *

 

"My Dragon-dad read books like that,” Luffy says holding a stuffed whale that Sabo knew use to belong to Ace. “The real big ones.”

“Did he?” Sabo asks, shifting the seat to make room for Luffy to slide into his lap. The kid was extra clingy once he seemed to realize that Dragon was actually gone. “That sounds like a lot.”

“He read lots more of them before he left. Are you gonna leave too?”

“I’m not going to leave,” Sabo promises. “And if I do have to leave, I’m gonna bring Marco and Ace and you,” He taps Luffy on the nose. “With me. You won’t be left behind, okay?”

“Okay!” Luffy pauses. “Why do you and Ace and Marco share a bed?”

“Because,” Marco answers from the couch, looking half asleep. “You share beds with people you love when you are a grown up.”

Sabo raises an eyebrow but says nothing as Luffy nods slowly.

“So you love Ace and Sabo? And Sabo and Ace love you?”

Marco nods, “Ace loves Sabo too. We all love each other.”

“Oh!”

“And we love you too. You’re our kid now, you know.”

Luffy freezes and Sabo wonders if Marco said something wrong, “I am?”

“Of course you are,” Marco says yawning. “We signed all the papers and you’re our son. Besides, we like you. You’re a sweet kid, you know.”

“I like you too!” Luffy shouts scurrying off of Sabo’s lap to throw himself on Marco. Marco yawns, letting Luffy curl into a ball on his chest. “You’re really nice dads.”

“You’re a really nice son too.”


	3. Half Dragon AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m half dragon and I’ve always hidden away from everyone, but know you know and somehow, you don’t think it’s awful? And you’re touching my scales? And asking me to roast you marshmallows? I can’t decide if I’m relieved or annoyed.” for Anon

Ace isn’t sure what to think of the pair of knights that smashed through the roof of his cave. Neither of them had woken up after landing and Ace, after checking that they hadn’t broken anything and patching them up, was a bit nervous about getting close again.

What if they woke up as he did?

The last time adventurers had come through, they had tried to kill him when they had woken up to find him taking care of them. But he had escaped and found this cave, deeper in the mountains that he had spent his whole life in.

“My head,” Ace ducks behind the bookshelf, peeking as one of the knights started to move. “What- Marco!”

He scrambled over the mattress to where his friend lay, yanking off both of their helmets in the process. Ace had seen them when he had treated them, but now, it was obvious that they weren’t related despite the similarities in their blond hair and light colored skin.

“Marco, wake up!”

“Shut up, Sabo. It’s too early to be up,” Marco mutters trying to turn onto his side before opening his eyes slowly. “Why am I so heavy?”

“Because you’re sleeping in full armor. We fell, remember?”

Marco groans, shifting to sit upright, his eyes already moving around the room. Ace ducks back behind the bookshelf, hoping to have been missed.

“This looks like someone’s home,” Marco, Ace thought it was Marco, he wasn’t entirely sure. “And they can’t have been gone too long, there’s food.”

Ace bites back a squeak when Sabo appears moving towards the fire, taking a step back and around behind another bookshelf and he prods the pot of stew that Ace had been cooking.

“Not long at all,” Sabo says finally. “This is fresh.”

“Why are you hiding?”

Ace shrieks, jumping away from Marco, who had snuck up behind him, wings unfurling to make himself seem larger than he was.

“That was mean,” Sabo says frowning. “You scared him!”

Marco holds his hands up, “I didn’t mean to, are you okay?”

“Please don’t kill me.”

“I’m not going to kill you. Sabo, what did you say to him?” Marco demands turning to the other. “You know you should stop telling people we’re going to kill them!”

“I didn’t do it this time! I don’t think I did. Did I say we were going to kill you?” Sabo asks horrified.

Ace shakes his head, “But last time, they did. I haven’t done anything wrong. I didn’t kidnap a princess or steal anything. I paid for all my books and my things.”

“Calm down,” Marco says smiling, “We’re not here to hurt anyone. We came to investigate a rumor about a dragon. That’s you, right?”

“Half,” Ace corrects. “I’m only half dragon.”

“Well, rumor confirmed. We’ve made sure you’re not going to do anything nefarious, that’s all we came to do,” Marco promises. “We’ll let the nearest town know you’re up here so that if something happens they can come check on you.”

“You’re not gonna kill me?”

“Can you roast marshmallows?”

“Sabo!”

“I’m sorry, it just slipped out!”

“You would think I brought Luffy on this mission!”

“He,” Ace flinches when they look at him. “He landed on his head?”

Marco sighs, “Head trauma, like he needed more of it. Thank you for telling me. Sabo!”

“His scales are so soft,” Sabo whines still petting Ace’s wing. “And pretty!”

“Would you like dinner?” Ace asks hoping that things would start to make sense again if he fed them.

Sabo kisses his cheek and Ace flushes red, jerking back from him in shock, “You’re really nice! And super pretty!”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“He should be,” Marco promises. “He’s right though, you are extremely kind,” Ace isn’t expecting the kiss that Marco presses to his other cheek. “And pretty.”

Ace stares after him in confusion, hands on his cheeks. What had just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> minister-of-silly-walks:  
> And then I think the last one Im curious about, MarcoAce or Marcoacesabo professional athlete AU

“My shin splints have shin splints,” Ace whines laying back on the couch with both of his legs iced. “I hate this.”

“I think I blew my shoulder,” Marco mutters.

Sabo shakes his head, “You are both ridiculous. Your shoulder is fine, Marco, it’s just a little bit of overreaching. Ace, you’ll be fine, your shin splints will be gone in two weeks, I promise.”

“But they hurt now,” Ace whines, pouting at Sabo. “Kiss them better?”

“That’s not how it works. And I can’t. We play you next week and I’m going to use my insider knowledge to my advantage.”

Ace frowns, “Marco, we should never had started dating _the enemy_.”

“You are the one that wanted him,” Marco states rolling his eyes. “He’s your childhood best friend.”

“I retract my desire for him,” Ace mutters.

Sabo rolls his eyes, “I’m getting dinner, are you sure you hate me or should I forget to order your favorite from the cafe down the street?”

“No, feed me! I’m injured!”

“He gets us in trouble when he is too loud,” Marco adds grinning. “And we aren’t suppose to be living together.”

That was true. Sabo has an apartment on the other side of town and Ace technically lives across the hallway because they need separate places. Not that their coaches and friends don’t know that they’re together, but none of them are quite ready to deal with the media fall out.

Marco jokingly said that they’ll officially reveal it when he retires in a few years and that’s the time frame that they’ve been working with ever since.

“I’m telling our batters that your pitcher keeps throwing curves,” Ace warns Sabo. “You might want to convince him to change it up.”

“He is?” Sabo asks curiously.

“Hm, of the thirty pitches he threw last game, where he over extended, and over three fouths of his pitches in the game before that, they were curve balls,” Ace shrugs. “I was watching them.”

“Huh, I’ll say something, but if he doesn’t then that’s on him. You should tell them and see if it holds true.”

Marco snorts, “Unless you convince him, but Hack specializes in curves, doesn’t he?”

“He does. It’s highly likely that Ace isn’t wrong in his prediction.”

“Hack is predictable. It’s Koala that you have to look out for,” Ace admits. “That change up of her’s? I would marry that change up.”

“I’m sure you would. I am gonna have to walk games from your,” Sabo pauses, answering his phone. “Hello? Hey, no? I won’t be back until late, you can just-… Alright.”

“Koala?” Marco asks curiously.

“Yeah,” Sabo sighs. “I have to get going, there’s some kind of team event that the new coach wants to do and Koala couldn’t convince him that I need more notice.”

“Want us to get a bag for your dinner?” Ace asks.

“Nah, I’m done anyway. We have to have a team dinner and then,” He shrugs. “I think I’m gonna scream if I get asked about who I’m dating by our new players. It’s insane.”

“Tell them you’re sleeping with the enemy,” Marco says grinning. “That always makes Hack laugh.”

“Hack thinks it’s funny because it’s true,” Sabo says leaning over the table to kiss him. “And because Koala makes that stupid snorting giggle thing that she does.”

“Have fun,” Ace says kissing Sabo when it’s his turn. “And maybe kick anyone who pisses you off, okay?”

“I might. If I shout that we’re dating at them and we end up all over the front page tomorrow, I’m sorry.”

“We’ll let the team manager know,” Marco promises already sending off a text.

Sabo waves closing the door behind him.

“Think he’ll actually do it?” Ace asks staring at the door.

“Who knows. I hope someone tapes it if he does.”


	5. PTA meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pta meeting au with mas.

“Who is the president of this,” Ace mutters pretending to smile at the myriad of mothers with the same haircuts as the ones that almost always snapped at him when he had been working at the fast food joint in college. “Why do we have to be here?”

“Because,” Sabo whispers back smiling politely at one of the parents that had grabbed his ass the week before during a parent-teacher conference. “Apparently everyone has to suffer.”

“Can’t I suffer in another way? If I hear one more parent talk about your ass, I’m gonna have to deck ‘em. That’s my ass.”

“It’s my ass. It’s on my body, therefore my ass. You are just the only one allowed to touch it. Also, don’t get us kicked out of this school for being ‘unnatural gays’. I don’t want to have to move across the country to get a new job.”

“Fine,” Ace sighs leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest as the meeting started.

“Ah,” Sabo glances at the man looking rather nervous about stepping in. “I’m late again.”

“They’ve just started,” He grins as the man jolts slightly. “I’m Sabo Outlook, one of the fourth grade teachers. This is Ace Portgas, he’s gym and music.”

“Marco Newgate.”

Ace glances over, “Any relation to Haruta Newgate? She real tiny and kicks like a donkey?”

“That’s Haru,” Marco sighs. “My daughter. I’m so sorry she kicked you, I keep telling her to stop but my dad keeps encouraging her.” 

“Don’t worry about it, she’s a good kid beyond that. There’s a seat just there if you want to actually pay attention.”

“Thank you.”

Sabo waits until Marco is stated to raise an eyebrow at Ace, “You and blonds.”

“He’s attractive with a little girl who thinks I’m cool and not married. I’m allowed to look, you said we were allowed to look.”

“Mhm, what are the chances of us getting him into bed anyway?” Sabo agrees. “He’s hot.”

“You’re hot.”

“Are you asking me to seduce a parent? In the middle of a PTA meeting?”

Ace tilts his head, “I think I’m saying that you couldn’t but also that I think it would be great if you did.”

“You are going to get us kicked out the school district.”


	6. famous over night au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> “accidentally got really famous overnight and now i have a manager and an agent and tbh they’re both really hot how am i supposed to cope with this” au With mas?

“Calm,” Sabo whispers as Ace’s fists clench. “Remember, calm and collected. This is just a brief interview, it’s no big deal and you don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to.”

“We sent a list of questions to avoid before we accepted,” Marco adds looking up from his phone long enough to neatly avoid colliding with someone carrying far too much coffee. “The list that we asked you to make remember?”

Ace nods, biting his cheek as the elevator opens, “And if they do ask one of them?”

“Than you walk out. They signed a contract and if they won’t hold to it then that’s on them,” Sabo assures him. “We’ll be there with you the whole way, right Marco?”

“Of course. We won’t let anything happen.”

Ace isn’t sure if that’s as reassuring at they think, not when they’re both pressed too close in the crowding elevator and his nerves jangled. He can feel himself hovering close to a panic attack, the same one that’s been dogging his heels since he had woken up three days ago to find the video of him singing the song he had made for Luffy had gone viral.

“Do you need your medication,” Marco whispers when the elevator clears out, the three of them alone for a moment. “I have it if you do.”

“I-I think I’m good,” Ace says chewing on his lower lip. “But if I change my mind?”

“We can pause the interview and you can take your medication,” Marco promises.

“I’ve already checked that the reporter knows that when you say stop the interview is either over or you need a moment. Koala’s a friend and she’s not going to try and do anything that we didn’t already ask you about,” Sabo adds.

Ace nods feeling his heartbeat stutter as they both but their hands on his lower back to usher him out the elevator to meet Koala, who wiggles her eyebrows at Sabo like she knows something his doesn’t.

“You must be Ace Portgas, right?” She says grinning. “I’m Koala, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you too,” Ace mutters.

“Shy huh?” Koala asks, she doesn’t look pitying. “Don’t worry. I’ve already promised Sabo that I won’t go off the script you had sent in and if you feel uncomfortable we can stop. Do you want these two to come in with us?”

“P-please?”

“Of course, come on we’re set up in my office and Nojiko is going to be asking if you want anything to drink. I would prefer if you didn’t get alcohol, mostly because liquid courage is going to hider you more than help, but it’s your choice.”

“It reacts badly with my meds.”

“Well perfect! You wouldn’t believe how many stars need to be on their way to drunk to make it through an interview.”

Ace can feel Marco and Sabo’s hands twitch against his back, pressing closer to him in a show of support.

“Take a seat.”

“Remember,” Sabo whispers as Koala makes her way to the other side of her desk. “Marco and I are right here, okay?”

“And if you need to stop at anytime, that’s perfectly alright,” Marco adds leaning closer. “We want you to feel comfortable too.”

Ace nods, keeping his mouth shut so that he doesn’t say something stupid about how much he would love to take them out to dinner. Or to bed. Or- there are too many ors.

“Alright,” Koala says once they’re all settled. “Ace, why did you post that video online?”

“I,” He swallows as Marco’s knee presses against his. “I wrote it for my brother, we were both raised by his dad and Lu- That’s Luffy’s nickname- decided we were brothers.”

“That’s sweet,” Koala grins. “But why online?”

“Lu travels a lot, I’m not to sure what he’s doing but he- The song helps him fall asleep and since we aren’t always in the same time zone it’s hard for me to sing it to him when he’s having problems sleeping. I offered to record it and send it to his phone, but he breaks them so often that it would be pretty worthless.”

“So you uploaded it.”

“Yeah, one of Lu’s buddies came by and helped set up the recording and showed me how to put it online. Lu was really excited to see it, so,” Ace shrugs. “I didn’t know that everyone else would. I-I thought I had made it private.”

Koala nods, “I suppose it was a little shocking to wake up to find out that you had gone viral and been offered a contract with WBS.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m actually dreaming. I didn’t know what was going on when I got the call from Whitebeard Studios. Initially I thought it was a prank.”

“He hung up on me,” Marco adds, lazy smirk in place. “Three times.”

Ace blushes, “I thought it was a prank!”

“He’s teasing,” Sabo says, hand coming to rest on Ace’s forearm. “Marco is a gigantic tease.”

Koala rolls her eyes pretending to gag, “All flirting will be conducted outside my office. Please keep it in your pants, I only have a few more questions, it’s a short interview,” Koala adds for Ace’s sake.

“Do-don’t you need more information?”

“Nope, I pull some of the public records and check my facts but it’s easy to make a long article without having to keep you here too long.”

“See,” Sabo’s hand is still on his forearm, Ace hasn’t forgotten that. “It’s perfectly fine, Ace. Relax. It’ll be just like Marco and I said.”

Koala waves them out of her office and bites back a giggle until they were in the elevator.

“You saw it too, right Koala?” Nojiko asks.

“That’s going to be so much fun,” She sighs. “I wonder when Ace is going to notice that they’re both trying to get him into bed with them.”

“Or to dinner.”

“They aren’t very picky either way,” She agrees.


	7. Cinderella au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> leafyxthiefy:  
> Have you ever considered MAS [or I'm not picky MarAce, SabAce, MarSab] Cinderella AU?? ♥

“Why do we need a ball?” Ace asks, voice just short of whining as he sprawled over the lounge, arm thrown over his eyes. “I’m perfectly happy marrying Sabo!”

“Because,” Sabo answers calmly. “The council is under the impression that you’ll fall desperately in love with a member of the nobility and be perfectly happy pretending that I never existed.”

Ace peeks at Sabo, “You know that would never happen, right? If anything, I’ll end up making them love you too.”

“I know, but that’s what the council thinks,” Sabo states letting Ace pull him down into his lap. “They can’t stop you from marrying me, not when your mother married a pirate from another country.”

“Mom is pretty badass.”

“Do you know any of the nobles? Or their children?”

Ace hums, glancing over the list that Sabo had in his hands, tapping a name, “Marco. We were close as kids, but his dad went away. He was a merchant that dad fought often, but he never came back and he didn’t come visit me anymore.”

“Well, I’ll make sure to have him invited, I remember you telling me about him. I’m sure he misses you just as much.”

“I wanted to marry him when I was little.”

Sabo laughs, “Then I have to make sure he comes, I want to see if your mother was right when she said you had a type.”

~

“You would think,” Thatch mutters leaning against the back door. “That the old lady would hire some help with how much money your father left.”

Marco snorts, “Why do that when she can use me for free? She’s spending my father’s money faster than the company can make it. Vista was here two days ago to tell her that she can’t access the main accounts anymore. He made sure that she didn’t know that I could still.”

“Yeah, as if you could do anything with the money. She’s got you trapped.”

“I can’t just leave. Not when my father put so much money and time into making this place. This is my home.”

“I know, doesn’t mean that I like how you’re treated,” Thatch says darkly. “When do they wake up?”

“Not until noon. Teach and Weevil were out until late and their mother was out even later. She barely made it back before sun up. The neighbors will be talking about it.”

“That’s her fault. How much money do they have coming in from their parts of the company now, without being able to dip into the funds directly?”

Marco frowns, “Not enough to keep up their life style and Vista’s refusing to let her dip into the money that I get from the company because my father put it in trust for me. So, there’s going to be a decrease in their purchases, but on the down side, I’ll have to deal with them more.”

“Ugh,” Thatch sighs pushing himself away from the door with a sigh. “I have to get going. You gonna be okay? Or do you need some help?”

“I should be fine,” Marco promises. “Thanks.”

Thatch nods, “You can always ask for help, you know. You have friends that want to help you if you need it.”

Marco waves his concerns away, waiting until Thatch’s horse has headed off into the distance before leaning heavily against the table and sighing, feeling the hours of work from the night before and the night before that weighing heavily down on his shoulders.

The chore lists were getting longer and longer and the time to complete them was decreasing. There wasn’t anything for it, he just had to suffer until he was old enough to take all over his father’s business and take the house back from his stepmother.

“Marco,” He turns. “Water for my bath. I’m far to disgusting to sleep.”

“Of course stepmother,” Marco states calmly. “I’ll have it done as soon as possible.”

“Hurry up.”

Marco grabs a bucket from beside his table and hurries to the well, already knowing that he’s going to be running on too little sleep and even less food.

~

“You’ll make sure that Marco gets that, won’t you Sabo? I’ve missed him so much.”

“I have heard all of your stories,” Sabo promises him, grinning as he slips on the jacket he stole from one of the delivery men. “I’ll make sure the other love of your life will come to the party.”

“You’re the love of my life,” Ace says kissing him lightly. “But he’s important to me.”

Sabo laughs, “If that’s possible to have more than one, you know. I can share your heart with someone else, as long as they’re everything that you told me about them.”

“Thank you,” Ace says softly. “For this.”

“You owe me. Big time. That means Koala gets to come to the ball.”

Ace sighs, “Fine. But only this time!”

“You can’t be jealous of Koala if I can’t be jealous of Marco.”

“I loathe you,” Ace smiles. “Thank you, for this. I know it’s not really your job.”

“Well, my job is to make you happy. I’ll be back soon.”

~

Marco blinks at the messenger, feeling like he should know this man is, but pushing it aside as he smiles politely.

“An invitation to the Ball for the Crown Prince,” He says smiling back, the scar around his eye pulling strangely. “One for the family and one for Marco Newgate, from the prince himself.”

“For, for me?” Marco asks before he can stop himself.

The man stops, something strange crossing his face before it blanked again, “You’re Marco Newgate? No offense, sir, you just, you look like help.”

“I’ve been told. Thank you, but tell Ace that I,” Marco thinks that his heart is going to break. “I don’t think I can make it.”

“He specifically requested your presence.”

“What’s taking so long, you lazy boy!”

Marco flinches, “I’m sorry.”

“At least, consider it please? The Crown Prince was very insistent that you come to his ball. He misses you.”

“Boy!”

“I’m sorry. Please, just tell him that I’m sorry.”

He closes the door, leaning heavily against it and shoving his own invitation into his pocket before heading further into the house, pausing outside the door to the lounge before knocking and entering.

“A invitation from the palace,” Marco says bowing as he entered. “I apologize for the time I took, the messenger was asking directions to the next house.”

“An invitation?” Teach asks curiously. “For what?”

“A ball, he said, for the Crown Prince.”

Weevil sighs, “It sounds boring.”

“You idiot boys,” Bakkin snaps. “Don’t you see what this is? The Crown Prince has to marry, this ball will be the perfect time for that to happen. To introduce yourself and make an impression. To be his spouse when he becomes the king!”

Marco bites his tongue as the invitation is ripped from his hands and Bakkin starts to talk about things. About the money they need to use for their clothes and how it will cut into their other expenses, her face dark as she tries to stay inside the budget that they have been reduced to.

“You, boy,” Marco wonders if she ever remembers his name. “Why are you just standing there? Get back to work, it’s not like you could attend.”

“The invitation is for everyone,” Marco says nails biting into the palm of his hand. “I could go to.” The separate one, his very own, burns in his pocket and he wants to go. If only to see Ace again. He had missed him, when Bakkin had told him that he was no longer free to do as he pleased. “If I desired.”

“That’s a laugh,” Teach says rolling his eyes. “You don’t even have something to wear. What are you going to do? Wear those rags to the party? Can you imagine?”

“Oh, your majesty, these are my finest things!” Weevil laughs. “You would be the laughing stock of the whole town.”

Marco bites his tongue and bows, “I have chores to complete.”

“Boy,” He pauses. “I have a list of chores for you to complete, by tonight.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~

“Something’s wrong,” Sabo states when he returns to the palace, Ace all but begging to hear how Marco was doing. “He was dressed like the lowest servant and the woman in the house called him boy.”

“Bakkin, Edward Newgate’s second wife. He, he married her because there was concern that her second son might be his, but I doubt that he is, dad does to and dad knows Edward best.”

Sabo nods, “I know a bit about Bakkin Newgate. Rude, inclined to throw money around like water, the kind of person that my parents loved to be involved with.”

“I knew that Marco wouldn’t have stopped visiting me without a reason!”

“But that means he might not be able to come.”

Ace frowns, eyes narrowing, “He has to come, please. What can I do?”

“There’s a story from my home land,” Sabo says grinning. “About a girl that has a fairy godmother who helps her attend a series of parties and how it ends with her falling in love with and marrying a King. There’s no fairy godmothers, but I talked to some of his friends, we should be able to do something to help him.”

“I want him here, you saw him. How did he look?”

“Tired. Tired and overworked,” Sabo answers finally. “It’s not, I don’t think things have been going well for him since you last saw each other. But,” He smiles. “I can see why you would fall in love with him.”

“You can?”

“That doesn’t mean that I’m going to fall in love with him.”

~

“So,” Marco blinks at the man from the day before leaning against the back door. “I’m Sabo.”

“Marco Newgate.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sabo smiles. “Are you sure you don’t want to come to the ball? The prince says that I should beg you to come. He’ll do anything.”

Marco shakes his head, remembering the letter beseeching him to come. All but begging for Marco to come to the ball, even if he came in rags or only for a moment, because Ace just wanted to see he was alright.

“Why?”

“I don’t have the time,” Marco starts.

“I could help? And one of your friends said that he would help too.”

“What?”

Thatch waves, “We can handle your chores for a few hours. Go and buy clothes and shit for the ball, Marco. You want to go, don’t you?”

“You think, do you think that Ace wants me to go?”

Sabo tilts his head, “The prince is worried that you won’t come and he’s been begging his personal aid to do anything he can to make sure you come and see him. If only for a moment.”

“Alright,” Marco sighs. “Okay. I’ll, I’ll go and get things. Bakkin and her sons are out and they will be until noon, I should be back before then.”

“Take my horse,” Thatch says grinning. “Go!” He waits the long moments before turning to Sabo. “You are suspicious, you know that right?”

Sabo grins, “That’s fine. As long as Marco attends the ball then I don’t mind.”

“You are really weird.”

~

Vista grins when Marco appears in his office, already handing him the money that the Prince’s note had asked him to pull out for Marco, “I hear you are going to a ball.”

“Apparently Ace wants me to be there.”

“I hear Jozu got in some interesting items, if that’s the sort of thing that you are into.”

“Thank you.”

~

Ace paces checking his clothes as Sabo smiles, slumped in the chair nearby, watching him, “Marco is coming, isn’t he?”

“Hm,” Sabo agrees. “I can understand why you love him so much.”

“You can?” Ace grins. “Are you falling in love with him too?”

“Maybe.”

“Come to the ball with me too. We can both dance with Marco. See him.”

“I don’t have,” Ace gestures at his wardrobe grinning. “You didn’t.”

“You were so busy making sure that Marco came that I had to have you there too!”

Sabo grins, “I did want to dance with Marco.”

“Then come on.”

“Fine. Fine. But only because you insisted.”

~

“Stay,” Ace says softly, his hand soft on Marco’s arm, eyes wide and hopeful behind his mask. “With us?”

“And that’s okay,” Marco asks trying to look at them both. “Staying with you?”

“We, both of us, want you to stay,” Sabo says smiling.

“My home-”

“We can get it back from Bakkin. We can get all of your things back and you can go home and visit any time.”

Marco swallows heavily, “Are, what are they going to say? The three of us?”

“Nothing,” Ace says finally stepping forward. “No one can say anything because you are mine. You’re both mine and I want to keep, nothing will stop me from that. Unless you say no?”

“I want to stay.”

Ace nods, “Than stay. Stay here, with us. Please.”

“We both want you to stay,” Sabo adds.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stay.”


	8. Naruto Au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> MarcoAceSabo - Naruto AU

Sabo twirls a kunai, his eyes narrowed at the group of genin that they had been forced to take on, following Ace like ducklings, the files had been less than what they had been hoping for, but then again, standards had fallen since they had been forced to deal with Sarutobi taking back the seat of Hokage. Even Whitebeard, old and tired and still running AMBU with an iron fist, thought he should have named an heir and given up power to someone younger and more ready to deal with the political aspects instead of letting the council run all over them.

Marco leans heavily against his side, breathing controlled and just a touch too close to loosing his temper after trying to demand their way back into AMBU and failing.

“Alright brats,” Ace looks like he wants to say something else and Sabo can understand, the Uchiha brat was someone that Ace didn’t like on a good day. “This is going to be our training ground. You will be here every morning before dawn and you will be ready to train.”

“Sensei,” The voice is soft, squeaky. “I don’t understand?”

“What don’t you understand?”

“Aren’t we suppose to have another test? I thought-”

Ace sighs, “I could give a fuck about another test. You belong to us and now you are going to do what we say, when we say it.”

“We?”

Sabo moves before Ace can make a comment about dropping the sneer from the Uchiha’s face, stepping between them, “We. As in the three of us. Isn’t that right?”

“That sounds like what the Hokage put us up to,” Marco agrees looking calm and collected like he usually does. “I don’t remember one of stepping out of AMBU to train a bunch of brats. Introduce yourselves.”

“How?”

“I’ll start,” Sabo says ignoring Marco’s fingers twitching softly. “I’m Outlook Sabo. I like Ace and Marco, AMBU, and a good book. I dislike brats, losing what I worked hard for, and brats.”

“Haruno Sakura! I like,” Sabo is going to die, she giggles as she looks at her teammate. “I dislike Naruto and Ino-pig.” Kill her instead from the looks of it.

“Marco. I like Ace and Sabo, AMBU, and birds. I dislike brats and more brats.” He nods to the blond even though all three of them know him best, Ace likes him.

“Uzumaki Naruto! I like Ramen!” Sabo tunes him out because it’s basically ramen and his female teammate. It’s not something he needs to remember.

“Portgas D Ace,” Ace smiles because his mom’s name is famous, her and her work in the last war. Good friends with the Uzumaki brat’s mother, if he remember rightly. “I like Marco and Sabo, AMBU, food, and setting shit on fire. I love that most. I dislike brats and idiots.”

The Uchiha takes twenty minutes to get any kind of answer and Sabo hates every damn minute of it. He is tired of having to hear about the Uchiha and how great they are and whatever else the village has going on. He’s still pissed about Itachi trying to take a chunk out of Ace on their last mission, so that might just be cross over. One day, he’s going to get that guy.

“Why,” Sakura swallows heavily. “Why are all three of you teaching us?”

“Because I’m not allowed to watch brats alone,” Ace says grinning. “Sabo is good with brats but teaches them bad habits, and Marco hates brats but he’s good at teaching. Together we make a good sensei.”

“And we work best together,” Sabo states rolling his eyes.

“That’s what they wanted us to do,” Marco smirks. “Now, we’re going to start by training.”

This is going to be a disaster. Sabo hopes Sarutobi isn’t as senile as he’s been acting for the last couple years. He isn’t losing Marco and Ace to any of the fool’s plans. 


	9. You’re acting like this is your first threesome (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yaoifanatic4ever:  
> 32\. “You’re acting like this is your first threesome.” MarcoAceSabo Just because it is absolutely perfect! XD

Ace is going to get himself into trouble if Marco and Sabo keep touching him, bad enough that he’s all but in Marco’s lap and Sabo’s kissing him in such a way that Ace can’t even remember where they are, let alone if they made it to one of their dorms. 

“He is making the best noises,” Marco is saying behind him, voice softer than his hands on Ace’s sides.

“You would think he’s neve-,” Sabo pauses, one hand under Ace’s shirt and the other on Marco’s knee. “Ace?”

“Sabo?” Ace is pretty sure he doesn’t normally sound that breathless.

“You’re acting like this is your first threesome.”

Marco kisses behind Ace’s ear, “Is it?”

“Yes?”

Sabo groans, “Oh, Ace,” He kisses him again and Ace isn’t sure where Sabo was trying to go with that, too distracted by his tongue until he pulls back. “You’re suppose to tell us these things.”

“I-I am?”

“That’s right,” Marco agrees, hand warm on Ace’s stomach. “You are suppose to tell us. Do you want us to stop?”

Ace shakes his head, “No, I don’t wanna stop.”

“Alright, we’ll go slower, okay? Just so you can get use to this. Threesomes can be a bit much.”

“Okay.”

“Good boy,” Marco says smiling. “Sabo, I want a kiss.”

Sabo moves and Ace closes his eyes to try and block out the slick sounds of their mouths sliding together right beside his ear, it’s too loud and-

“Ah!”

“Should pay more attention,” Marco whispers into his ear. “Sabo likes to distract you and then put his hand into your pants.”

Ace nods, biting his lip as Sabo grins at him, fingers stroking gently, “Right by my ear.”

“I know, but Sabo is tricky like that.”

“What lies are you telling him?” Sabo asks glancing at them both as he drops the lube onto the bed, this wasn’t Ace’s bed, and settling just above Ace’s knees, reaching for Ace’s pants. “Ace?”

“You can.”

Sabo grins, “Thank you.”

“How tricky you are, sweetheart.”

“Oh, that’s true. I’m plenty tricky,” Sabo glances up at Ace. “We can stop whenever you want to, Ace. Just say stop and we will.”

“Okay.”

Marco kisses his cheek and Ace turns, “Can I kiss you?”

“Please?”

Marco kisses differently then Sabo, less the sudden quick almost devouring and more the slow drag of his tongue, long and lazy. Ace gasps when Marco pulls back finally, slumping further against his chest.

If this was how all threesomes were, Ace wasn’t sure he would survive long enough to make it to a second one.


	10. Harry Potter AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> authenticaussie:  
> whispers so I know it's technically not on the prompts list and it's not valentine's day anymore but would you consider mas + love spell/potion ?? ;u; <333

“Ugh,” Ace grimaces sputtering as he tries to spit out the chocolate that he had shoved into his mouth. “That was disgusting, what the hell?”

“What was disgusting?” Marco asks curiously flicking his wand to edit the scroll that he had been working on.

“The candy, it’s gross.”

Marco glances over, raising an eyebrow, “That isn’t one of the ones that Sabo and I got you.”

“It’s from one of Pop’s other kids,” Ace laughs. “You and Sabo agreed that I could accept chocolate from the rest of the family.”

“We did,” Sabo agrees, his head in Ace’s lap. “Since you eat so much, we thought it would be alright. We aren’t upset about it, Ace.”

Ace nods, “You can’t be. You said I could, but this one tastes gross.”

“Let me try,” Sabo sighs. “You big baby.”

“I’m not a baby! You know I don’t like gross things! I eat yummy things and only yummy things.”

“I’m going to keep my mouth shut,” Marco states smirking.

“Why?” Ace asked in confusion.

“Because there are small children and I’m a perfect. Even if I want to use the innuendo that you’ve left open for me.” Sabo snorts. “At least one of you get it.”

“Wha-”

“Don’t worry about it, Ace. Let me try the chocolate and I’ll tell you if there’s something wrong with it,” Sabo says sitting up. “There is some left, isn’t there?”

“Yeah, here.”

Sabo sniffs it, frowning, “It smells alright. A little bit odd but not disgusting.”

“Odd?” Marco asks.

“Like perfume or something. Koala would be able to identify it better, can I keep this one and try another?”

Ace shrugs, “It’s a small box only four total, you can have all three.”

“Thanks,” Sabo says glancing at the clock. “I’ll go bother her about this and get back to my dorm before our perfect has to give me a detention for being out after curfew. No kiss?”

“So needy,” Ace mutters kissing Sabo lightly. “Worse than Luffy, you are.”

“I will kick you,” Sabo warns wiggling off the couch and kissing Marco. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

Marco grins, kissing Sabo a second time, “I don’t know, Ace and I could have so much fun without you, what do you think Ace?”

“So much fun,” Ace agrees. “This is what you get for being in the wrong house, Sab.”

“Maybe you both are in the wrong house. I’ll see you both bright and early, or kind of early,” Sabo waves hurrying out the common room to try and make it back to his own in time.

“You think it’s just gross chocolate?” Ace asks dropping into Marco’s lap. “Or maybe weird chocolate? Like when old ladies have candy in their purses too long.”

Marco hums, “Maybe or it could be something else and we should be worried about it. I have a lot of family because of Pops, not all of it’s going to be trustworthy.”

“We aren’t trustworthy, Marco, or did you forget about what the last war told everyone,” Ace states tapping the snake on his chest. “That’s what Sabo is for.”

“Ravenclaw, you firebug isn’t very trustworthy, you know.”

~

Koala frowns, “This is gonna take a bit, Sabo. And maybe a couple of days for me to drag Robin away from the history books to look over some things for me. This is definitely not bad chocolate. Could be perfume.”

“Well that’s worse than what I thought,” Sabo sighs, collapsed onto the couch. “Ace says that it was from one of Marco’s siblings and you know how upset the old man will be if it’s not something simple.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s weird, but don’t worry too much until we get this taken care of.”

“How is Robin, by the way? I haven’t seen her leave her study alcove in weeks.”

“Caught up in a new set of runes from the twelfth century,” Koala sighs. “She came out for a bit to have a nice meal with me and couple stuff, but she went right back to the alcove afterwards.”

Sabo laughs, “I’m always shocked that your girlfriend can pull herself out of her corner long enough to pass school.”

“You won’t be saying that when we find out what is weird about this chocolate that someone gave one of your boyfriends.”

“I never do,” Sabo sighs. “Now I am going to have to deal with Marco getting weirdly overprotective.”

“That’s all on Ace, Sabro.”

“I will end you.”

“You don’t like bro, you don’t like Sabro. I need a nickname that your boyfriends won’t steal, please?”

“If you call me Sabro ever again, I will let Robin know about that time that Dragon snuck us into the Wizingot.”

Koala scowls, “I loath you.”

“Loaf,” Sabo snickers.

“You are worse than Luffy-ya,” Law shouts from across the room. “You fucker.”

Sabo laughs, burying his face into a cushion. He loved getting a rise out of Law when he wasn’t even trying.

~

Ace pulls a face, spitting into his napkin before anyone could stop him, “That is disgusting. Like drinking mud.”

“Drinking mud?” Marco asks curiously.

“He lost a bet,” Sabo mutters into his coffee cup. “And Luffy picks the worst things to have people do.”

Marco nods, waving his wand over the cup and frowning, “I don’t detect anything, but we can take it for Koala and Robin.”

“Still, why is it just me? If people were pranking me then why aren’t they hitting you both too?” Ace whines. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I know, you would have told me if you had,” Sabo yawns.

“Just pour a new glass. I’ll even drink it first for you, deal?”

“Deal,” Ace states shoving the cup to Marco. “What am I missing?”

“Tastes normal to me. But we’ll figure it out, okay? At least we’re sure that it’s not any kind of poison. Your mother would kill someone if you were poisoned, I volunteer Sabo.”

Sabo pouts, “You would sacrifice me to Rouge? After all that we’ve been through?”

“I would still have Ace, he’d be in recovery for a while, but one is better than none,” Marco grins. “Just like I would sacrifice Ace to Rouge if you get poisoned.”

“You are terrified of my mom and it’s weird,” Ace mutters shoving his fork into his mouth. “It’s gross.”

“Ace?”

“Not the eggs. There’s this weird thing that happened after drinking that. It’s hard to explain.”

Marco frowns, “I see. I’m going to go to the library after breakfast, I might be gone for a while. Think you can keep each other occupied?”

“I have homework,” Ace mutters darkly. “Transfiguration homework.”

“Good, I have some too, so we’ll do homework then while Marco runs off and looks for a picture book.”

“I know, they’re just so colorful. I don’t understand those funny shapes you call letters,” Marco deadpans. “Behave and don’t get caught making out in the broom closet again.”

“At least not without you,” Ace teases.

Marco grins, tugging Ace’s hair, “I do want to be in the closet too if you get caught.”

“Have we ever all be caught in the closet together before,” Sabo mutters. “I remember it being really crowded. We need a bigger closet.”

“Or maybe you should stay out of the closets,” Izo sighs. “Do you know how many closets you’ve used? It’s too many. I can’t enjoy them knowing you’ve been in them too.”

“That’s your fault for overthinking,” Ace says grinning. “Sabo?”

“Sleeping,” Sabo whispers to the table, hugging his coffee cup. “Gonna sleep for years an’ never get up.”

“Were you up late again?” Marco asks tugging Sabo’s hair. Ace pouts, it wasn’t fair, just because their hair was long didn’t mean he should tug it like that. “You promised me you would sleep.”

“Research,” Sabo whines. “So much to learn, so little time.”

“Sleep,” Marco says softly. “You promised. Ace won’t hang out in any more closets with you if you don’t listen.”

Ace pouts, “Even if I really, really want to. Marco would be mad at me if I rewarded you for not listening to him about your sleeping habits.”

“Don’t like closets.”

“Or,” Marco adds. “Abandoned classrooms.”

“Unfair,” Sabo yawns. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“If you say so. I have some research to do, behave for a bit, okay?”

“Fine,” They both sigh.

“Good. See you both in class.”

~

“You looked concerned, Ace,” Thatch says slowly, hovering close to his side. “Something wrong?”

“I drank the juice this morning and for a second,” Ace shivers. “I didn’t love Sabo and Marco anymore. It was weird, I don’t like it. What if it’s something bad?”

Thatch frowns dropping down beside him, bumping their shoulders together, “Do you feel anything else?”

Ace shrugs, “It kind of vanishes really fast, but I feel really guilty about all of it. It’s wrong. I don’t want to stop loving them.”

“I’ll keep an ear out then. Wish we had more to go on than that.”

“And the bad taste.”

“And the bad taste. Ace, you’re not going to stop loving Marco and Sabo because of some weird thing you’re getting slipped. I promise.”

“I better not.”

“Want a hug?”

“A want to try and out eat, Luffy. Think the house elves have recovered from last time?”

“If not, I’m up to the challenge. Come on, let’s grab your brother and see if we can have some fun,” Thatch says waiting until Ace had started off without him to frown. It looked like there was something more going on and he wasn’t pleased with it. He glances at Izo as they pass, signaling him. “So meat or?”

“Meat,” Ace agrees brightly. “Veggies are gross.”

“You are going to get a deficiency and the nurse is going to murder you.”

~

Marco is going to murder someone. He knows where to find them and where they will be, but he doesn’t know their name and that’s what he needs most.

“It’s definitely a love potion,” Robin says frowning. “One easily overpowered by natural love, but that isn’t common knowledge and I’m sure that whoever made it didn’t see the fine print.”

“And slipped it to Ace?” Koala asks. “Why would they do that? It’s not like you all are subtle about anything you do. Including that thing with the,” She gestures. “And one of your massive extended family?”

“Pops doesn’t do background checks and we’ve had some more dangerous family join up. Most of them aren’t this,” Marco growls. “Shady. But I want to know what they were thinking.”

“There’s a few ways to trace it back,” Robin says calmly. “The ingredients are expensive and the process is very difficult, time-consuming.”

“And I,” Izo says calmly. “Had Haruta write up a list of our family that did something suspiciously like that. And we have one name at the top.”

“Marshall?” Marco asks in confusion.

Izo nods, “We did hear some rumors about him before he joined us, but nothing substantial. It’s weird, you know, he did seem pretty interested in Ace when they first met.”

“What do we not know about Ace?” Robin asks.

Marco growls, “You might not, but I do.” He took off slamming his way out of the castle and blasting Teach into a wall before he had a chance to react. “So that’s how it is?”

“Marco?” Teach chokes. “What?”

“You love potioned Ace. You decided to potion one of my boyfriends!”

“Marco, you can’t,” Izo hisses catching sight of teachers heading their way. “You’re in trouble.”

Marco smirks, “You think getting to Ace means getting to his dad,” He ignores the confused noise that Robin makes. “But Ace hasn’t seen his dad in years and hasn’t spoken to him in even longer. Not to mention, you picked the one that got countered out by real love.”

“Fuck you,” Teach spits. “Like you know anything!”

“For my dad?”

“Ace,” Marco says softly. “Don’t.”

“I thought you were my friend. I thought we were friends.”

“Sabo.”

Sabo nods, “I’ve got it.” He wraps an arm around Ace’s shoulders and whispers to him as he leads him off.

Marco whispers something to Teach, hurrying after them, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

~

“I thought he was my friend,” Ace whispers into Sabo’s shoulder. “I thought he was my friend and he, and,” He sobs softly.

“That’s not your fault,” Marco says softly rubbing his back. “Don’t cry Ace, he’s an asshole and it’s not your fault.”

“All for my dad. I don’t even get to see him and he thought that he could get to him through me?”

Sabo hums softly, “I know. I know Ace, he’s a dick. Him and your dad both.”

“This is why mom doesn’t talk about her husband,” Ace mutters. “You don’t care do you?”

“I’ve known for years, that’s not going to change anything,” Sabo promises.

“Never.”

Ace sniffs, “Thank you, thank you.”


	11. "It's three in the morning and I'm bored and you're the only one awake. Let's break into a gas station store."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> leafyxthiefy:  
> Could you do "It's three in the morning and I'm bored and you're the only one awake. Let's break into a gas station store." With either Marco/Ace or Ace/Sabo? If you're taking prompts that is. Thank you!~

Sabo tugs at his hair, trying to pay attention to the words swimming together on the page in front of him. He had a test on chapters six through nine in two days and it was like crawling over sandpaper trying to make it through a single page, let alone the hundred something he had to finish. He yawns, glancing up at the clock and biting his lip hard enough to draw blood at the sight of Ace outside his window.

Ace waves motioning for him to open the window, his eyes bright with mischief, “Hey.”

“It’s three in the morning, literally three in the morning,” Sabo demands as he opens the window for Ace. “Why are you climbing up the house? You know that my parents would pay someone to murder you if they see you on their property again.”

“It’s three in the morning,” Ace shoots back crawling into the room, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Come have fun with me.”

“Go bug Marco.”

“I can’t,” Ace whines. “He’s got a real job and you know it, he won’t come have fun with me, please?”

“I have to finish the book for English.”

Ace frowns and tilts his head, “You mean the one I set on fire a couple of weeks ago?”

“You’re going to fail English again.”

“The hell I will,” Ace says pouting at Sabo. “I looked it up on Sparknotes, I know enough to pass tests and bullshit my way through an essay, try me.”

Sabo sighs, “Fine, fine. What do you want to do?”

“Break into the gas station with me!”

Sabo stares at him blankly before sighing, “Let’s do it.”

“Yes!”

“Shut up,” Sabo hisses glancing at his bedroom door, locked and with a chair wedged under the doorknob just in case. “We have to be careful, if I get one more charge on my criminal record, they will murder me.”

Ace snorts, “You say that like we aren’t going to end up with more charges at some point. I wasn’t the one that said we should set fire to Arlong’s car, you were.”

“He was being a dick to Koala, she’s my best friend, I had to do something.”

“And landed us both in juvie for six months. I think that’s the only time that the old man hasn’t been pissed about me going to jail.”

“Hush you,” Sabo grins. “Alright, you said the gas station?”

“The one that Franky works at, the cameras are down. Plus he says that Robin has the morning shift, so if we don’t fuck shit up too much, she’ll even cover for us.”

“You do know how to sweet talk a guy into robbery,” Sabo says shaking his head. “Lead the way.”

Ace pouts, refusing to move, arms crossing over his chest, “All of this hard work so we can have some fun and you won’t even reward me?”

“You are so needy,” Sabo says rolling his eyes, kissing Ace quickly and patting his thigh. “Now, get out the window.”

“Fine,” Ace sighs. “But the romance is dead, I’m telling Marco that you don’t love us anymore.

“Maybe it’s just you,” Sabo teases following him out onto the roof and pulling the window to, so it would take a second glance to notice that he had left by it. “Maybe I’m still in love with Marco.”

“Mean,” Ace whines. “After I went through all the hard work of making sure that Luffy took a bath and was in bed before I left the house.”

“We both know he’s gone.”

“I did what I’m suppose to. Not my job to sit on him until he falls asleep, besides, I’m sure nothing too bad will happen.”

Sabo shakes his head jumping off the roof and waiting for Ace to shimmy down the same drain pipe he used to climb up, “You could go faster.”

“I want to have knees when I grow up,” Ace shoots back. “One of us has to be able to push your and Marco’s wheelchairs. And Koala’s. And Luffy’s. We know too many people who jump like that. I’m just being responsible.”

“I would never believe it.”

“Ass,” Ace mutters reaching the ground. “Come on, I brought the kit and left it in the alleyway. Hurry before one of your family’s security people catch us.”

Sabo snorts, following Ace quickly to the fence and scrambling over quickly and dropping to the ground, barely stopping before running off with a shared grin. The bag is right where Ace left it and they pass by his house on the way to the gas station, the front door carelessly left open.

“Luffy’s out,” Sabo says grinning as Ace groans. “You okay?”

“The old man is going to be back early in the morning, apparently he convinced his boss to give him time off. He already said if we weren’t both home when he got there, he would be upset. I’m going to beg Marco to sleep at his place.”

“Like Marco would say no.”

“He’s a real adult now,” Ace says making the same face that Sabo’s father had when he had gotten caught kissing Ace the first time. “You shouldn’t bother him, he’ll forget about you soon.”

“Who told you that?” Sabo asks concerned.

Ace shrugs, dropping Sabo’s hand and shoving his hands into his pockets and pretending he hadn’t said anything. Sabo frowns, but lets it drop for time being, making a note to remember to text Marco about the strangeness of the comment and how Ace had reacted.

“Here we are,” Ace says eyes wide with excitement. “I think the back door might be our best point of entrance?”

“Yeah, don’t want to get spotted,” Sabo agrees accepting the lockpicks that Ace hands him. “I get the lock?”

“It is technically Koala’s turn, but she’s not here.”

Sabo nods leading the way into the alleyway and heading for the door, leaving Ace to watch his back as he opened the lock. Sabo shakes his head as it easily opens, almost too easily if he didn’t know that this was how the lock always was.

“We’re in,” Sabo whispers shoving the door open. “Ace?”

“I’m here,” Ace says appearing right behind him, grinning excitedly. “Come on, let’s get what we want and… oh, no.”

Sabo twists to catch sight of whatever it was that Ace could see, before going absolutely still. Pulling along the road was a cop car, one that they knew quite well, belong to the Sherrif who had dragged them in for the incident with Arlong and several others.

“We might want to run, in a rather hurriedly matter away from here.” Ace hisses backing up slowly, hand on Sabo’s collar tugging him away. “Come on, we have to go.”

“I’m moving,” Sabo promises scrambling to his feet and following Ace through a series of alleyways and gasping for breath as they both came to a stop at the park. “How the hell?”

“Probably got told that the,” Ace gasps. “Cameras were out and wanted an eye on the building. That was close.”

“What was close?”

They both turn, Marco lounging on a bench a few feet away, his eyes close and his hand crossed over his chest.

“Nothing,” Ace answers.

“It wouldn’t have to do with the ten texts that I got about breaking into the gas station?” Marco adds. “Because I hear the Sheriff is keeping a car there all night.”

“We would never,” Sabo says feigning shock.

Marco laughs, “Then I suppose you don’t want to come with me to the one on sixth street? I hear the cameras are down and they didn’t warn the cops like the one by your house.”

“I love you,” Ace and Sabo say in unison, eyes bright.

“I love you too, now come on. I want to grab snacks and go home, I do have work tomorrow, after all.”

Ace throws himself forward dragging Marco to his feet, “Come on! I’m hungry!” He says dragging them both off. “Come on!”

Sabo glances at Marco, grinning, “Thanks for coming.”

“We better not get caught, Pops said he’s won’t bail us out until after your parents and Ace’s gramps get word. And I do want to got to work later.”

“Talk later,” Ace whines. “Why are you doing this?”

“Sorry,” They answer, exchanging looks and ignoring the pout that makes it way across Ace’s face before hurrying to walk beside him.


	12. Hey, I need your help. I bought you the biggest teddy bear they had in the store, and now I can’t carry it by myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> “Hey, I need your help. I bought you the biggest teddy bear they had in the store, and now I can’t carry it by myself.” + Ace w/ anyone (MAS is preferred) and all the fluff pls.

Sabo is half way through the book that he specially ordered for his thesis when his phone rings and interrupts the train of thought that he had been writing down, leaving a streak of ink and blanking the thought from his mind entirely.

“What,” He snaps into the phone, still trying to remember what he had been writing.

Ace laughs, “Hey Sabo, sorry to bother you, but I need your help.”

“Ace? Where are you? I thought you were here at the apartment with me?” Sabo says pushing his chair back to find the couch covered in blankets and the wrappers from snacks, but short Ace. “When did you leave?”

“Two hours ago, now I need you to come to the store and help me.”

“Please tell me that you remembered your wallet.”

Ace laughs, “I bought two of those really big teddy bears for you and Marco. I can carry one, but two is too much for me apparently.”

“They sell teddy bears?”

“Sab, dearest darling Sab, it’s Valentine’s day, what don’t they sell?”

Sabo groans, “I forgot.”

“I figured, which is why I picked up candy for myself and Marco that you can claim is from you,” Ace says happily. “You didn’t think that I’d let you crash and burn do you?”

“I love you,” Sabo says moving to slide on his shoes and grab his jacket. “I’m leaving the apartment now. Should we pick up something for dinner? This is one of those times we should make a nice dinner, right?”

Ace hums, “I think so. It’s our first Valentine’s day after all. A nice dinner and candy and these awesome teddy bears. We could drop them off at the apartment and go to the grocery store.”

“Alright, I’ll be a few minutes. Don’t get into trouble.”

“No promises,” Ace singsongs before hanging up.

Sabo rolls his eyes as he grabs his keys and wallet, locking the door behind him and taking the stairs two at a time and taking off down the street at a dead run, barely twisting out of the way in time to avoid running over one of their neighbors.

“Took you long enough,” Ace says waving him over. “Carry this one.”

Sabo could understand why Ace had admitted to being unable to carry them both. They both were almost as tall as Ace and wide. Easy enough for him to carry one alone, but not both.

“You think we need these?”

“I can get my boyfriends whatever I want for Valentine’s day,” Ace sniffs. “That’s Marco’s. I figure it’s rude to ask you to carry your own teddy bear.”

They also aren’t teddy bears. Well, at least Marco’s isn’t now that he’s gotten a closer look at it, it’s blue and yellow with soft fur made to look like feathers.

“What?”

“Phoenix,” Ace answers keeping Sabo’s bear hidden by the plastic wrapping. “It looks like the thing that he has, the tiny little stuffed phoenix that he thinks he’s hidden from us.”

“It does, doesn’t it,” Sabo agrees grinning. “Does he even know we know about it?”

“No, no he doesn’t, but you can’t say much. You still have that silly top hat wearing bear that Luffy got you when we were ten.”

“Hush you, it is adorable and I love it more than I love you.”

“Excuse you,” Ace says mock offended, “How dare you? I should return this chocolate.”

“Please don’t, we have things to do, come on. I’ll race you home!”

“Deal!”

“Hey! No cheating,” Sabo shouts trying to catch up.

Ace wins, but Sabo insists that it’s because Ace took off before saying they were suppose to go. Ace laughs as he opens the door and freezes.

“Ace?” Sabo asks peeking over his shoulder. “Hi, Marco!”

Marco raises an eyebrow, “I got sent home early to spend Valentine’s day with you, only you weren’t home, so I made lunch. What’s that?”

“Presents,” Sabo answers pushing Ace into the apartment. “Move, I want to get these inside, dork.”

“Jerkface,” Ace says refusing to move and laughing as Sabo finally pushes him enough to get inside. “Welcome home, Marco. The stuffed animals are from me.”

“They’re something,” Marco admits. “Which one is mine?”

“This one,” Sabo answers. “I want to see mine now too, Ace. I helped you carry them home and everything. Where’s my gifts?”

Ace holds up a bag, stepping away from Sabo’s teddy bear and dropping back onto the couch looking triumphant.

“Ace,” Marco asks slowly. “Why did you get me a giant bird?”

“Because he says it looks like the small bird you think you have hidden in the linen closet,” Sabo answers struggling with the plastic on his own. “Knife anyone?”

Marco makes a quiet noise of embarrassment, “How did you find him?”

“Magic,” Ace answers passing Sabo the scissors from the coffee table. “Like I do most things.”

“Thank you, Ace,” Marco says leaning over the back of the couch for a kiss. “I like it very much.”

“Seriously?” Sabo shouts, his bear finally free from the plastic. “You, you?”

“I?”

“A top hat and a pipe?” Sabo sniffs. “Really?”

“Marco hasn’t even noticed his has the same tattoo as him. I had to beg Nami to help me find someone to customize them.”

Marco laughs, running a hand through Ace’s hair, “Thank you, Ace. I love it, but where are we going to keep them both.”

“We have that empty spot in your offices, you keep saying we should put in a third desk, but this way I can lounge on these instead,” Ace says brightly. “I don’t need a desk for work.”

“Okay,” Sabo says wiping his eyes, “I hate you and I hope you choke on your chocolate.”

“I love you too,” Ace says brightly.

“He never believes me when I say rude things,” Sabo mutters to Marco, leaning down to kiss Ace. “Thanks for the gift, Ace.”

“You never mean them,” Marco counters kissing Sabo. “He might believe you if you ever meant them.”

Sabo laughs, “True. Here, for you and you too, you horrible creature.”

“The worst,” Ace agrees accepting his chocolate. “Thanks!”

“Thank you, Sabo. If you two want to stay out here, I can have lunch done in a little bit,” Marco says tucking his candy under his arm away from Ace. “It’s hamburgers.”

“Yes!”

“I’m glad you’re so happy about that,” Marco laughs. “Don’t go into the bedroom, I’ve got your presents in there and they have to wait a bit longer.” Ace sneaks a glance at Sabo, who nods instantly. “Please?”

Ace sighs, “Fine.”

“We won’t.” Sabo promises.

“You just have to wait until after lunc-,” Marco sighs. “It got out.”

Ace and Sabo glance down the short hallway to their bedroom spotting it instantly.

“Oh no,” Ace whispers.

“It’s adorable.” Sabo adds.

It is, a tiny white puppy that looks too much like Whitebeard’s dog. Too big paws and a floppy ears.

“Stephan,” Marco sighs. “Ace. Sabo. This is Stephan the second, your present. I figure he can keep you company since I have to work so often and I’ve got some trips coming up with the company.”

“He’s so tiny and fluffy,” Ace cooes. “I love him.”

“The cutest,” Sabo whispers hurry to pick Stephan up and squeaking when his face is licked. “I’m sorry, but I can no longer love either of you, my heart has been stolen by Stephan.”

“I have replaced you too.”

Marco rolls his eyes, “I’ll finish lunch. You two play with Stephan, okay?”

Both of them mutter something, already distracted by Stephan. Marco shakes his head, at least Valentine’s day had been successful. 


	13. You and I were sent on a quest together by the king, but now we’re horribly lost, and I’m fairly certain this quest was just meant to kill us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> “You and I were sent on a quest together by the king, but now we’re horribly lost, and I’m fairly certain this quest was just meant to kill us.” With mas?

“You know,” Ace says twisting the map to the side to see if he could figure out where they were. “I think we’re lost.”

“I told you that three hours ago,” Sabo says calmly staring at the strange creature lounging on a branch not too far away. It looked like a cat, but Sabo wasn’t sure that it was. Not with the way it kept blowing smoke rings.

“Well darling, if you had been helping me try to read this,” Ace says folding the map back up and shoving it into his bag. “We might not be lost on what was already a suicide mission.”

Sabo freezes, “You noticed.”

“A little hard not to when Stelly was ordering what we left behind to be burned before we walked out the door. I’m not that stupid, you know. Just, oblivious.”

That was true. Ace still hadn’t noticed that Sabo liked him and it was getting far past the point of hilarity.

“At least Luffy took off with that troupe last year,” Sabo sighs. “We don’t have to worry about him getting the brunt of Stelly’s anger.”

Ace grins, “Too bad I could never convince you to stage a coupe, you’re just as eligible to be the king as he is. Probably more so, since you wouldn’t tax the hell out of everyone until they didn’t have any money left.”

“I would make a horrible king. So, are we going to finish this or?”

“Why not see where we were being sent and if it’s that bad,” Ace shrugs. “We can’t let people suffer.”

“Never mind that we might end up dead?”

“At least we’ll be together?” Ace shrugs. “I’m shocked I lived this long.”

Sabo bites his tongue and follows Ace. Ace always said that, since the coupe that Sabo’s parents had backed had taken the lives of Ace’s parents and the throne that Ace had been raised to take over. Ace had been lucky enough to have been away with a family friend when it happened and had returned to the ruins to find Luffy.

“You’re sad again,” Ace frowns prodding Sabo. “Don’t be sad.”

“Don’t say you’re suppose to be dead,” Sabo shoots back.

Ace rolls his eyes, leaning in closer, “We’re being followed.”

“The fire breathing cat?”

“I am concerned for you,” Ace says quietly. “It’s a fire-breathing bird. Where are your glasses?”

“Glasses?” They turned to the bird, Sabo was still certain that it looked like a cat.

“Did it?” Sabo asks slowly.

“You wear glasses?” The bird, that was a beak, asks. “Are you lost?”

“Are you following us?” Ace demands.

The bird bobs it head, something changing before a man stood before them in the bird’s place, “You’re headed towards a troll’s den. It’s mostly harmless unless you bother him, I thought you were picking a fight.”

“We had a mission,” Sabo admits. “But we’re-”

“A suicide mission, I heard.” The bird man assures. “From King Stelly.”

“You know Stelly?”

“I’m Marco.”

Ace snaps his fingers pointing at Marco dramatically, “You’re from Moby! Dad use to take me there all the time so he could try to out drink their king!”

“It has been quite some time, Ace.”

Sabo knew that name now, the name of Ace’s first crush. He had whispered about it Sabo when they had been younger, before Luffy had taken off on his own. This was starting to get a little ridiculous.

~

Marco watches Ace, all grown up, and Sabo as they sleep, head tipped to the side as he sat in the branches of the tree to keep watch. It was interesting to see them both, though Sabo didn’t seem to remember him. Or perhaps with his vision deteriorated he couldn’t see Marco well enough to recognize him.

He leans his chin against the palm of his hand thoughtfully.

He wondered how long he had to wait before it was appropriate to tease them about proposing to him when they were younger. He couldn’t wait to see their faces.


	14. You just “rescued” me from a dragon, and you look so proud, but that dragon is actually my best friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> “You just “rescued” me from a dragon, and you look so proud, but that dragon is actually my best friend. Oops.“ Au practically has MarcoAceSabo all over it please.

Sabo isn’t actually sure what to say to the pretty blond knight that had ‘saved’ him from his tower. He looked rather proud and Sabo doesn’t actually know what to say because he can’t see Ace and what if the knight killed him?

“You don’t look pleased,” The knight says slowly.

“You didn’t kill the dragon, did you?” Sabo asks trying to see if there was smoke rising from the elaborate estate around his tower. “He better be okay.”

“The dragon?”

“Ace,” Sabo states still not spotting the smoke. “He’s my best friend.”

The knight blinks slowly before pinching the bridge of his nose, “You know what, this is the last rescue mission that I’m ever taking. I locked the dragon in the throne room, should we go back and check on it?”

“Him. Ace is male,” Sabo insists. “And please?”

“Ace then, I’m Marco.”

“Nice to meet you, why are you even here? I thought my parents said that they weren’t going to send anyone after me when they left me here with Ace.”

Marco frowns but fortunately says nothing, “Word got to King Newgate that you were missing. Your parents said that you were stolen by the dragon.”

“I’m as stolen as Ace is a dragon,” Sabo says leading the way back to the tower, hurrying faster. “Come on, Ace has some stupid ideas in his head, we have to hurry!”

Sabo throws open the door to the throne room with Marco on his heels to find Ace on the throne, his knees pulled up to his chest and his face hidden. He jerks up, eyes red rimmed as he stares back at them.

“You,” Ace says slowly. “You came back?”

“I’m your best friend,” Sabo states avoiding the collapsed columns to throw himself at Ace. “I’m your best friend, I promised, didn’t I?”

“You did. Who’s that?” Ace wipes his eyes, nodding towards Marco.

“Marco is a knight, he was told you kidnapped me, he didn’t know we were friends.”

Marco waves uneasily, “Hello?”

“You aren’t going to take Sabo, are you?”

“No?”

Ace nods, wiping his face and grinning brightly, “I’m Ace. You were really nice earlier, thanks for not killing me!”

Sabo can see the exact moment that Marco realizes just how deep he is in and all he did was come back to the tower with Sabo, the way his smile seems to faulter before fixing itself, eyes darting to Sabo. Sabo grins back.

Well, this would be interesting. How did one balance a relationship between a knight, a noble, and a dragon?


	15. switch soulmate au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> Switch soulmate or sharing pain au with mas?

Marco has been dreading and hoping for his eighteenth birthday in equal measure, the stories from his siblings had only made it worse. Vista hadn’t said much, just that he hadn’t been expecting what he had found and that he had enjoyed it too. Which didn’t help. Marco didn’t know what to expect either and his heart was pounding in his throat.

“You’re going to worry yourself more bald if you think like that,” Thatch laughs, tugging Marco’s hair. “Who want’s a bald soulmate.”

“I cut my hair like this,’ Marco shoots back, even though it’s a lie. The barber had been particularly unprepared, but Marco wasn’t going to say that. “I can grow it back at any time!”

“Just relax,” Thatch grins, patting his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll see something cool. Even Pops got to see us when he was eighteen, you know.”

“I know that,” He pauses as everything seems to swim around him, moving even though he’s standing-

“Marco?” There’s a hand on his face and Ace smiles a him. “You okay? Sabo and I heard you get up.”

“Ace?”

“Of course it’s me. Did you think it was Sabo again? He’s going to be upset if you’ve conflated us.”

“Conflated who?” Sabo, Marco’s only ever heard about Sabo never met him even though he and Ace are friends, asks trying to balance three trays on his arms. “If Ace confused us again, that isn’t my fault.”

“That was one time and I was having an allergic reaction,” Ace states taking a tray from Sabo and shoving it into Marco’s lap. “Breakfast in bed for your birthday. It was my idea.”

“I did all the cooking,” Sabo adds. “Since the last time Ace cooked pancakes, he burnt them.”

“That was an accident!”

Marco blinks slowly between them, because he was suppose to see his soulmate when he flashed forward. Suppose to meet them and figure out how he would meet them at eighteen, but he knows Ace and if he tried hard enough he can meet Sabo, but it doesn’t make sense.

“Marco,” Ace’s hand is back on his face. “Are you okay?”

“Oh,” Sabo whispers, eyes going wide. “Oh, you’re thirty six today. He said he got his glimpse when he was eighteen, didn’t he?”

Marco swallows nervously, “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“Marco said we did a very bad job at this,” Ace admits grinning crookedly, the way that Marco is use to seeing. “Apparently we confused you more then we didn’t. But, we’re your soulmates, me and Sabo.”

“Least, we think so. Kind of hard to miss that we saw each other when we,” Sabo gestures between them all. “Got our switch. So, we just went with it. I mean, your dad saw his as his children.”

“That sounds weird when you say it like that,” Marco mutters.

“Your dad has like 20 platonic soulmates. Just because everyone jumped on the wagon of soulmates being romantic doesn’t mean that it should be weird for you.”

“Sabo leave the kid alone, he’s already confused,” Ace rolls his eyes. “Eat your breakfast, Marco. It’s still your birthday and maybe if we have time left over when we’re done, we’ll take you to look around the house. Or,” Marco jumps at the large cat that climbs onto the bed. “Kotatsu, what have we said about sleeping on the bed?”

Marco blinks and Thatch is frowning at him, waving his hand in front of his face and starting to look concerned.

“There you are. Jesus, Marco, you can’t just stop talking for five minutes, did you get distracted by something outside?”

“We have a cat named Kotatsu,” Marco says blinking again. “He is big and white and he isn’t suppose to climb on the bed.”

“We don’t,” Thatch pauses. “Did you just switch? Who were they? What were they like?”

“Marco!” Ace bounces into the living room, and he feels like his heart is going to break out of his chest, “Happy birthday! Sabo, this is Marco.”

Sabo grins, and it feels like the first time he’s seen it even though Sabo was grinning during his switch, “Nice to meet you, Marco. Ace has told me so much about you.”


	16. bingo: enemies to lovers

_Daisy, Nightshade, Tansy._

Ace frowns at the flowers on the corner of his desk and bites back a frown. This is the third time this week that he’s gotten strange flowers and he knows that he’s not the only one on this flower. There has to be some kind of meaning behind them, but he’s fairly certain that they’re not something happy.

His are always accompanied by Tansies and he doesn’t know what Tanies mean but he knows that they must mean something because they’re the only ones that overlap. Unless he’s missed something, but the last time he tried to ask his mother, who has owned a flower shop since he was too young to remember, she had laughed at him and said it was sweet that he was making friends.

Ace certainly didn’t feel like he was making friends.

The last attempt at making friends on his part had ended with him dumping food on Senior Partner Marco Newgate and Technical Anaylist Sabo Outlook. Which had destroyed any overtures he had previously been attempting. They wouldn’t even talk to him unless they had to and even then it was horribly forced and Marco had, on more then one occasion, made sure that Ace had the wrong information.

_Sweet Basil, Virginian Stock, Yarrow_

“Are you coming to lunch,” Sabo asks leaning over the edge of Ace’s cubical, grinning brightly as he tapped the tiny purplish flowers in the vase of Ace’s desk. “Marco says that he wants us both there if we can swing it but he wouldn’t be upset if it was only one of us.”

Ace rolls his eyes as he frowns at the report on his screen, “I would love to go to lunch, but I thought you both were going to have something going on for your anniversary today. Or is that tomorrow?”

“It’s today,” Sabo agrees brightly. “You remembered!”

“You’re my friends,” Ace says pulling a box from under his desk and tossing it at him. “And I would never forget my friends’ anniversaries.”

“You didn’t-”

“I wanted to. Open it, it’s not much but you don’t have to wait for Marco to open it up if you don’t want to. It’s just a little gift.”

Sabo grins, “You’re too nice to us, you know that, don’t you?”

“We’re friends. Isn’t this what friends do for each other?”

“You’re such a dork. Fine, I’m opening our gift and if it’s too much, I’m going to make you take it back and get us something cheaper!” Sabo states pulling off the bow and sticking it in Ace’s hair.

_Red Tulip, Peach Blossom, Myrtle_

“So it’s you two who have been leaving the flowers,” Ace says slowly, watching Marco and Sabo jump at the sound of his voice, the bouquet in their hands dropping to the ground as they fumble trying to grab the vase on Ace’s desk, empty, since he had taken the flowers from the day before home with him instead of leaving them over night.

“A-Ace?” Sabo says quickly, eyes darting to Marco. “We didn’t expect you so early.”

“I have a meeting in thirty minutes. I wanted to be ready early,” Ace answers. “You aren’t getting out of this. The flowers, Sab. Marco. It’s been a year. I mean, I figure you didn’t like me very much at first, but you’ve been leaving flowers on my desk for a year!”

Marco tilts his head to the side in acknowledgement, “We hated you, after the food incident. We didn’t know it was an accident at the time, but we forgave you and then after that…”

Ace raises an eyebrow, picking up the flowers they had dropped, fingers delicate on the petals, “I don’t remember the meaning of many flowers, which is silly since my mom owns a flower shop. But this one,” He stokes the Peach blossom again. “This one I remember. I am your’s, right?”


	17. bingo: cuddles

“You going home,” Vista asks pulling his scrubs from his locker as Ace tugs his shirt over his head. “Or is this your lunch? If you’re pulling another triple-” **  
**

“I’m going home,” Ace yawn, his jaw cracking as he shakes his head. “I finished a double and I’ve got the next two days off, since I got lucky with the schedule.”

Vista shakes his head, “I’m jealous, I don’t think I’m going to have anytime off until we get another doctor to replace the one that retired last month.”

“I know, it was rather sudden, was it?” Ace says pulling his hair from the ponytail it had been in for most of his shift. “But you know, he did have a massive heart attack, you can’t blame him. Anyway, I’ll see you on Thursday, Vista.”

“You too, Ace.”

Ace yawns again, his sweater thrown over his arm as he headed out the building, waving to one of the other nurses on shift, feeling far too tired. He steps to the side when he gets outside, squinting at the too bright sky and trying not to groan. It was too early and the late night had given way to dawn, the light searing his eyes.

“Home,” Ace mutters to himself blinking rapidly as he hurries into the crowd, fumbling his phone from his pocket and smiling as he slid the name to the left to call.

“‘Lo?” Sabo yawns, sounding like he’s been woken by the sound of phone. “Ace?”

“Morning sunshine,” Ace says grinning as he pauses at a crosswalk for the light. “I’m on my way home from work right now. Do you want me to stop for coffee? I’m gonna need caffeine to make it home and through breakfast with you both.”

“Mhm, don’t know,” Sabo mutters. “Marco.” Ace can hear Marco, already awake and probably in the shower, call something back to Sabo. “Have to hold on. He’s brushin’ his teeth.”

Ace hums, “Work today?”

Sabo snorts, “Don’t member.”

“Poor sunshine.”

“Not sunshine,” Sabo yawns again. “Marco, Ace wants to ask ya somethin’.”

Marco laughs, “Thank you, sunshine. Go back to sleep and I’ll wake you up when it’s time to eat, alright?” Ace can hear the muttered, not sunshine, as Sabo buries his face back into a pillow. “Morning love.”

“Morning Marco,” Ace smiles twisting out the way of bicycle. “I wanted to know if you wanted me to pick up coffee. I needed some if I was going to make it through my trip home and breakfast and I know we were running low at home since we hadn’t been able to go shopping recently?”

“That would be a good plan actually. And we’re having breakfast in bed this morning, so if you want to get the coffee and I can get breakfast made. Sabo looks like he’s going to be sleeping in and that’s fine too. It’s going to be a lazy day for all of us anyway.”

Ace grins, “I can do that. So we’ll get coffee and from there it’s an easy day at home. Maybe a short time out to get some groceries?”

“I’m running out to get them now,” Marco answers. “I should be back before you. So I’ll see you when you get home, love. Thank you for the coffee and I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.”

“You’re lucky that neither of you like hot drinks,” Ace teases. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

Ace balances the cardboard cup carrier that the barista had given him in the crook of his elbow, his other hand fumbling for his keys. He knew they were in his pocket, he had used them to enter the apartment building and check the mail before he had gotten into the elevator, he knew he had, but he couldn’t remember what pocket he had shoved them into afterwards. It had to be one of them however.

“Ace?” Marco asks curiously.

“I can’t find my keys,” Ace says tiredly, his free hand digging into the pouch of his hoodie and coming out the other side grasping at his phone. “I swear that I-”

Marco held them up, smiling softly, “You left them in the mail box again, love. Come on, inside and you can put on your pajamas and cuddle with Sabo.”

“I’m gonna leave them in the front door one day,” Ace mutters darkly following Marco into the apartment and kicking his shoes off at the door. “And then where will I be?”

“Perfectly fine,” Marco rolls his eyes. “Come on. Put your coffees down and take off your sweater. Do you want to shower before you lay down?”

“Too tired.”

Marco nods as he snatches up Ace’s drink and pushes it into his hands, “Pajamas and cuddle Sabo, in that order, love. Jeans aren’t allowed in bed and you know it.”

“Fine,” Ace grumbles, bouncing up on his toes to kiss Marco before hurrying off to the bedroom, pausing in the doorway. “You didn’t say to take them off, so I’m gonna wear my socks to bed!”

“Brat!”

Ace laughs as Sabo blinks sleepily at him from the bed, face mostly hidden by one of the pillows and a mess of blond hair. He sets his drink on the bedside table and resists the urge to brush it down because he knows that Sabo will drag him down into bed and he’s not going to be able to escape, not until Marco forced him to.

“Ace,” Sabo whines as Ace finally finishes changing and drops into bed.

“Sabo?”

Sabo glares at him, “Cuddle.”

“Of course, sunshine,” Ace agrees moving closer to him. “I missed you. Sleep well?”

“Not sunshine. Missed you too,” He yawns, burying his face into the crook of Ace’s neck. “Coffee?”

Ace hums, nose wiggling and trying not sneezing as Sabo’s hair tickled it, “WIth Marco, he’s gonna bring it when he brings breakfast.”

“But coffee!”

“I know, but he would let me.”

Sabo sighs, tangling their legs together, “Fine,” He yawns. “Sleep.”

“Sabo?”

“We’re cuddlin’,” Sabo mumbles. “Sleepin. Marco will wake us up when it’s time to eat.”

Ace snorts, “If you say so, sunshine.”

“I say so. An’ I’m not sunshine.”

* * *

Marco smiles watching the two of them for a long moment before setting the tray on the bedside table so that he could wake them up. Ace stirs at the first touch of a hand in his hair but Sabo is stubborn, refusing to wake up.

“Morning to you both,” Marco says smiling when they both blink tiredly up at him. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Food?” Sabo asks looking slightly more awake than he had a moment before.

“Food,” Marco agrees as Ace makes a face trying to get all of Sabo’s hair out of his mouth. “Come on, up both of you, you need to scoot over to for me.”

Sabo groans, rolling to the left and bumping into the wall and a softer groan, “Aw, wall.”

“You’re the one that refuses to let us become real adults and move the bed into the middle of the room so that there isn’t a wall on one side,” Ace says scooting over. “I’m still wearing socks, Marco.”

Marco shakes his head as he joins them, pulling the tray off the table into his lap, “You’re lucky that I love you too much to break up with you now. That’s usually a deal breaker, socks in bed,” He kisses Ace’s cheek as he cuddles into his side to snag a slice of bacon. “Sabo, do you want your coffee, sunshine?”

“I’m a thundercloud,” Sabo groans into a pillow, hair sticking up more than normal, pausing for a long moment. “Please?”

“Here you go,” Ace offers. “I even stole you a bendy straw.”

“True love,” Sabo purrs, moving to lay his head in Ace’s lap, shifting his drink to rest against Ace’s thigh so that it wouldn’t fall and that he could drink it without having to worry. “Food?”

“Cuddly aren’t you, sunshine,” Ace asks rubbing his hair. “Alright, food. Thank you for this, Marco.”

Marco smiles, “You’re welcome. You’ve both been working hard, I thought we could have a nice day off. Cuddling and breakfast in bed isn’t hard to do, you know.”

“It’s still sweet,” Sabo yawns.

“You’re still welcome. Now, what would you like to have? I have bacon and I’m sure you could like a piece before Ace devours it all, don’t you, Sabo?”


	18. bingo:wings

Ace can feel the bite of the harness for his wings, the places where the straps have gotten too tight and the ache is too much for him and he need to loosen it but can’t because it’s under his shirt and he can’t reach them with it on, but he’s almost home and Sabo gets home before him today, so he can pretend. He can. **  
**

“Ace.”

Ace forces himself to grin, turning on his heel to catch sight of Marco, “Marco, you’re coming home early today.”

“I got through my work faster than I thought that I would,” Marco admits, his bright wings folded against his shirt but visible. “Did you just get off the bus?”

“Yeah, it was running late today, something about an accident further down,” Ace yawns. “Downtown.”

Marco hums as he moves closer, one of his wings edging protectively around Ace, hand curling around his hip, “I’m sure that’s all it was. And Sabo was texting me to say he made it home safe from work today. So he’s perfectly fine too.”

“Good,” Ace mutters, pretending that his phone isn’t in his pocket. He had used one of his co-worker’s to tell Sabo that he had left his at home and asked him to tell Marco that too, too tired and not wanting to deal with anything. “I’m gla-”

“You can just tell us that you don’t want to talk, love,” Marco states leading the way home, kissing his temple. “We can resist the urge to text or call as long as you want us to. It’s enough to know you have it if you need to call us.”

Ace ducks his head, “I know.”

“Then next time, please?” Marco asks softly, his hand squeezing softly. “We want you to be safe and we just, it helps to know you do have your phone.”

“Next time,” Ace promises.

Marco tilts his head, “Thank you. Come on, Sabo’s been cooking dinner and I’m sure you don’t want to miss out on that, do you?”

Ace laughs, pressing into Marco’s side, “Dinner sounds nice.”

“It does,” Marco agrees, letting Ace forget the rest of their conversation for now. “And Sabo does cook a very good meal.”

“I cook a good what now,” Sabo asks, leaning out the balcony to wave at them. “Hurry up, dinner’s almost done and we’re suppose to take care of Ace’s wings tonight!”

“May I?” Marco asks.

  
Ace laughs stepping closer, his arms going around his neck, “Go ahead, birdi.”

“We’re both birds, love,” Marco teases, arms around his waist as his wings lift them both off the ground and onto the balcony to greet Sabo. “We’re home, darling.”

“And you’re late,” Sabo says smiling and stepping to the side to let them inside. “Welcome home.”

* * *

“You should stop hiding your wings,” Marco states taking his time to smooth out the feathers between Ace’s shoulder blades, tugging a broken feather free and dropping it onto Sabo’s head. “They’re doing more harm than good in this case, love.”

Ace hums, yawning as he pushes his face into Sabo’s chest, “Too noticeable.”

“Pretty,” Sabo adds, his hands brushing along the top length of Ace’s wings. “Like a golden red tail hawk.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Ace mutters.

“Color variant.”

Marco presses a kiss to his shoulder, “Your wings are lovely and you should be proud of them, instead of locking them away with those harnesses and keeping them from sight. We wouldn’t want you to hurt them.”

“N,” Ace yawns again, tired and leaning further into Sabo, fingers curling into his nightshirt. “Not hurting them, they’re fine. Doctor said so.”

“You haven’t gone to the doctor in over six months, Ace. I don’t think you can use the doctor to justify what you’ve been doing to yourself. It doesn’t work like that,” Sabo brushes a hand through Ace’s hair.

“Sure it does.”

“Not.”

“No arguing before bedtime,” Marco states calmly, tugging out a particularly difficult feather. “You both know you get cranky and then you won’t sleep because you’re going to be pouting at each other and upset,” He waits for a moment. “And we still have to do Sabo’s exercises.”

Sabo groans, burying his face into Ace’s hair, “No! I don’t need to do them, they’re painful Marco. They hurt and it’s not like they’re going to make my wing work. I’m never going to fly like you or Ace can. I’m-”

“The doctor said to do your exercises to help keep the muscles in your back healthy and to keep from losing more mass than you have to,” Marco repeats calmly, dropping another of Ace’s broken feathers onto his head. “And so we are going to do that for you. As soon as I’m done with Ace’s wings.”

“Ace’s wings are so pretty,” Sabo yawns. “Pretty and shiney. He should have more of them, to show off how amazing they are.”

Marco smirks, “You think so too? I think Ace has the prettiest wings that I’ve ever seen, except perhaps your’s Sabo.”

“Sabo’s wings are pretty,” Ace agrees, muffled as he peeks up at Sabo, eyes glowing. “Like a humming bird.”

“It’s one wing,” Sabo protests.

“Still looks like a hummingbird.”

Marco smiles, “And we will still need to care for it even without the wing being functional, Sabo. Just because you can’t use it doesn’t mean that it’s not suppose to be cared for. I think we’re done Ace, so if you want to sit up for me, we can start working on Sabo.”

“Don’t wanna move,” Ace whines, twisting himself onto his back and dragging Sabo with him. “I can’t breath.”

Sabo laughs, “That’s what you get for rolling us over while using my chest as a pillow dork. Here, I’ll move so you can scoot up.”

“Thank you,” Ace yawns, shifting up to lay on the pillows. “Much comfier to lay on. And it’ll be comfier when Marco starts to stretch your wing.”

“Are you sure we have to?” Sabo insists, hiding his face in Ace’s shoulder as Marco stretches the hurt wing, the scarred skin aching.

“Doctor’s orders,” Marco repeats, his hands gentle. “You need to have a your wing cared for.”

“You’re both the worst,” Sabo whines as Marco pulls his wing as straight as it will go. “I’m never going to fly again.”

“That’s not why we’re doing this,” Ace states calmly. “We’re doing it because you need to keep it so it doesn’t get worse. It’s not going to get better, but it can’t get worse. It’s a disability, Sab, and just like any disabled limb, it has to be cared for.”

Sabo scowls, “Stop reminding me. I hear enough at work when they have to open the elevator because I show up and can’t get myself up to my floor.”

“And that’s not your fault, the elevator is for everyone who needs it,” Ace states. “I use it too.”

“There,” Marco states finally, kissing Sabo’s back. “All done.”

“Finally,” Sabo says collapsing fully onto Ace. “Wanna sleep, can we sleep now?”

Marco laughs, pulling the blankets up over them and scooting closer, “Go to sleep, the alarms are set and the doors are all locked.”

“Sleep,” Sabo grumbles into Ace’s collarbone. “Sleepin’.”

“Sleep,” Ace yawns. “Night.”

“Good night,” Marco whispers, he loves watching them fall asleep, seeing them relax and finally calm down. He smiles, spreading one of his wings over them, they were perfect like this.


	19. same disease au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> Could I get a MAS fic where they find out Ace has the same disease as his father and is going to die soon?

Marco leans back in the chair that Ace had dragged him out to, his eyebrow arching up as Sabo shrugs helplessly at him, the pool looking far too inviting int the tropical heat as Ace leans against the bar, watching them both brightly.

“He’s still sleeping too much,” Sabo says leaning closer to Marco, all but crawling onto his chair with him. “And he’s eating less.”

“He’s still adjusting to his new medication,” Marco reminds Sabo softly, his hand burying into his curls as Ace bounces back over, less bounce in his step than there use to be. “Happy to be on vacation, darling?”

“Yeah,” Ace admits scooting closer to the two of them. “It’s nice, I like being here with you. I like having time with you and being able to only have you two to myself.”

“I thought you would have gotten something,” Sabo says taking his drink and tapping the glass against the glass of water that was obviously for Ace. “You didn’t want to drink with us?”

“I promised that I wouldn’t drink with my new medication,” Ace says smiling sadly. “I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want to turn down the prize and I thought you and Marco could drink enough to make up for me not being able to. Now smoosh close, I wanna take a picture.”

Marco rolls his eyes and snatches up his drink, using his free arm to drag Ace into his lap and cradle him between himself and Sabo, hiding his smile in his hair as Ace snaps the picture. He had been more insistent about pictures than normal, but Marco was sure that it was because they hadn’t had enough time to go on many vacations like this before.

“You going to send that to Luffy?” Sabo ask leaning closer to see Ace uploading the picture online and tagging it with romantic sappy messages. “Or show it to everyone we know?”

“I wanna show you off,” Ace says taking a swig of his water and leaning in for a kiss. “You deserve to be shown off, don’t you?”

“You’re ridiculous, darling,” Marco whispers kissing Ace’s temple, leaning back and dragging them both with him and leaning to kiss Sabo’s temple. “I think I want to relax for a bit.”

Sabo laughs pressing into his side, head resting on Marco’s shoulder, “It’s nice. This is really nice. Thanks for this, Ace.”

Ace’s smile grows brighter, “You’re welcome, it’s nice to be here with you both. I don’t remember the last time we got to really relax together. Not since before you got promoted, Marco.”

“No, not since then,” Marco agrees, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of the sun on his skin and the two of them pressed close. “How did you win this?”

“Your dad,” Ace answers shrugging. “I didn’t get all the details, but I wasn’t going to say no to time with you both.”

“Probably for the best,” Sabo yawn. “I mean it’s nice, isn’t it?”

* * *

Ace is already falling asleep as they make their way back from dinner, leaning heavily against Sabo, “Sorry, Sab.”

“Oh Ace,” Sabo whispers kissing the corner of his mouth. “It’s not that big of a deal, sweetheart. Your medication always messes with you when you start a new one. I don’t know why they gave you a new one in the first place.”

“Need-” Ace yawns, shaking like a dog. “Needed a stronger dose and they thought we might try something new. It’s still working through everything. I would have waited on the trip, but it was already paid for.”

Marco laughs sweeping Ace off his feet, “Of course darling. Come on, lovely, I think our prince needs to get home before midnight.”

“Prince Charming is he?” Sabo teases, leaning in for a kiss and laughing at the groan as Ace tugs at his shirt. “Sweetheart?”

“I love you.”

Sabo’s heart always stops when Ace says that. It feels like it’s too small in his chest, like it’s wrapped up and suffocating, before tripping over itself.

“I love you too, Ace,” Sabo promises kissing him sweetly. “I love you so much.”

Ace smiles, rubbing their noses together softly before pulling back and twisting to smile at Marco too, “I love you.”

 “I love you too, darling,” Marco whispers ducking down enough for a kiss. “Go to sleep and we’ll both be here for you in the morning, darling.”

“But I thought we had,” He yawns, covering his mouth and burying his face in Marco’s chest. “I thought we had  _plans_.” The barely there wiggle of his eyebrows is enough to show exactly what he implied.

“And we don’t have plans in the morning,” Sabo smirks. “I think it can wait until you won’t fall asleep on us.”

Marco smiles, “And we have plenty of time for those plans. Go to sleep and don’t worry about that, darling.”

“Kay,” Ace mutters, closing his eyes and falling asleep almost as quickly as he closed them.

“Medication adjustments are the worse,” Marco sighs into Ace’s hair as Sabo unlocks their door. “I wish that they hadn’t needed to adjust them. He was doing fine on them for so long.”

“But they did and we’ll have to live with it. He’ll be fine. Hopefully he starts eating more again. It’s weird when I eat more than he does. It makes me think that he’s sick.”

Marco snorts lay Ace on the bed and easing off his shoes, “He always tells us when he’s sick. We would know if that was the issue.”

* * *

“How many pictures did you take,” Marco asks collapsing onto their couch, feeling the grime of the plane sticking to his skin as Ace drops into his lap, Sabo having laid claim to the shower. “I know you were snapping hundreds of them.”

“Hundreds. I want to have hundreds of them. We never get to go on vacation and I want to have happy pictures,” Ace says smiling up at him. “It’s important to have lot of them when we have three different work schedules to work out getting us all on vacation.”

Sabo stumbles out the bathroom, towel around his waist and dripping wet, “Next.”

“You can take it,” Ace tells Marco. “I have tomorrow off.”

“Thank you, darling,” Marco whispers kissing his forehead as Sabo drops onto the ground before Ace with another towel around his shoulders. “I think he wants some help, darling.”

Ace laughs, “You could dry your own hair, Sab.”

“But you do it so much better than I can.”

“You’re a dork, come on then, I’ll dry it this time,” Ace says accepting the towel and scrubbing his hair. “Did you enjoy it? The vacation?”

“It was great. Thank you for it, Ace. I loved it so much. It was nice, just the three of us and nothing to worry about.”

“Good, that was the point of it,” Ace says smiling.

* * *

“Sabo,” Marco answers his phone the number of missed calls and messages throwing him off as the newest call rang through. “What’s-”

“Ace,” Sabo gasps out, sounding breathless and like he’s been crying. “I-I came home and he was collapsed on the kitchen floor. There was blood and- We’re at the hospital but they aren’t saying anything yet.”

Marco feels his knees go out from underneath him, falling back into his chair, staring at the wall of his office in horror, “They’re not, they haven’t said anything?”

Sabo sniffs, “No, not-not yet. I’m, it’s only been a hour but I’m worried Marco. What if he’s not okay? What if he got sick when we were on vacation? What if we weren’t paying enough attention?”

“Alright, I’m,” Marco takes a breath and forces himself to his feet, already planning what he’s going to do. “I’m going to leave work now. I’m leaving and I will meet you there. Can I hang up while I talk to Pops and schedule to have someone take my shifts for a few days.”

“W-will you text me?” Sabo asks softly.

“I’ll text you every moment of the way,” Marco promises.

Sabo takes a shuddering breath, “Call me back as soon as you are done, please. I’m scared. Marco, I’m scared.”

“I know, lovely. I’ll be there soon, I swear and I will call you as soon as I’m done.”

“Alright. I’ll, I’ll let you know if they tell me what is going on with Ace.”

“Thank you.”

Marco doesn’t even think anything of how fast it takes him to clear his schedule with his Pops, hurrying to grab a taxi, too worried to drive himself and calling Sabo, listening to him talk about how there hadn’t been anything new about Ace’s condition.

“Marco,” Sabo throws himself into Marco’s arms the moment he’s close enough, burying his face in his chest, sobbing harder than he had been on the phone.

“Oh, Sabo,” Marco whispers kissing the top of his head. “No news?”

“Nothing.”

* * *

Ace looks pale under his tan, his eyes half lidded as he glances at them over the top of the oxygen mask, “They told you, huh?”

“You, you didn’t,” Sabo starts biting his bottom lip as Ace nods. “Why didn’t you? You didn’t, why did you tell us?”

“I, I didn’t want you to be sad,” Ace smiles brokenly. “I didn’t want you two to do this. I didn’t want this. I wanted you be happy, you weren’t suppose to spend the entire time I was dying crying.” He touches his chest. “I would be the one thing that my fucking dad actually gave me.”

Marco closes his eyes, “It’s genetic?”

“Yeah, they said that I didn’t have it last time I was checked for it. About three years ago. I guess they missed something. I came in because I thought there was something off with my medication and they told me that I actually had my father’s illness.”

“How long before the vacation?” Sabo demands. “How long did you know before you planned that?”

“Two days. Your dad had it set up as a reward for your hardwork, that’s all. He told me to lie about it when he found out. He wanted me to tell you and I couldn’t. I didn’t know how to. I was going to tonight.”

Sabo stops, “You were going to tell us?”

“Of course I was, I just,” Ace looks away from them both. “I wanted one more happy memory before you watched me waste away and die in front of you. I wanted you to have one memory where we were happy before I literally died.”

“We’re still mad,” Marco whispers, trying not to burst into tears. “We’re still furiously mad at you, but we love you.”

“It would have been easier if you didn’t,” Ace says softly, wiping the tears from his eyes. “I won’t be here much longer.”


	20. sequel to same disease au

Sabo carries the flowers because Marco always clutches them too tightly the closer they get and Sabo hates when they get messed up. He wants them to be perfect for Ace, Ace deserves to have flowers that look like they’ve been just purchased from the florist. They’re gorgeous and bright and just the way they had looked when Sabo and Marco had fumblingly asked Ace out on a date almost four years ago with bated breath and more hope than anything else. **  
**

“This way,” Marco whispers, his voice still too loud and his hand squeezing around Sabo’s almost too tight as they walk down the path and move forwards. “He’s this way.”

“Thanks,” Sabo sniffs rubbing his nose against his scarf, Ace’s scarf and regretting that it no longer smelt like him, like burning and smoke and something that made Sabo think of the way Ace laughed with his head thrown back and his shoulders shaking. “I, I always get lost here on my own.”

“I understand. It’s, it’s hard.”

Sabo bites his lip as they get closer, the stone bright and gleaming, Ace’s name large and gleaming, the grave clean and the hibiscus that they had petitioned to plant between Ace’s grave and his mother, the plots on either side of Ace, because Ace had two side and he had asked them if one day, would they consider-, no longer blooming. The limbs still strong even against the cold.

“Hey darling,” Marco says brushing a hand over the stone like he use to brush his hand over Ace’s face. “Did you miss us? We’re sorry for taking so long to come back to visit, but we brought more flowers. Didn’t we, Sab?”

“We did. Sorry Ace, Lu got himself into trouble and we got so c-,” His voice catches as he sets the flowers down, kneeling in front of Ace’s grave and trying to smile. “We missed you, it’s good to, to see you again.”

Marco squeezes his hand softly, because they both know that Sabo is going to leave this graveyard in tears, he’s never made it through a visit without breaking down. It hurts too much seeing Ace’s grave and knowing that Ace, who he loves and will always love, will never be with him again. That this is as close to Ace as he’s going to get until he dies because Ace is gone-

“Love,” Marco whispers softly, his voice soft and firm. “Why don’t you tell Ace about that new project that Dragon has you starting on?”

Sabo wipes his eyes, “I-I got that promotion that I told you about. The one that-that lets me travel with Marco more. It’s not so bad so far and Dragon’s made sure that my projects line up with hi-,” Sabo hiccups. “His. You must be so lonely without us. We should come visit more.”

“We can come mo-”

“Do you even miss him!” Sabo snaps. “You, you don’t even, even-”

Marco blinks slowly and takes a slow breath, hitching part way through as his hand clings to the gloves that matched the scarf that Sabo had taken for his own, “I miss Ace. I miss Ace so much, some mornings I get up four hours before you so that I can convince myself to get out of bed so that you think that I look like I’m actually alright instead of barely coping.” He takes another slow and steadying breath. “Part of the reason that Dragon made up that promotion was because Pops caught me drinking too much.”

“Marco?”

“Ace is dead.”

Sabo nods, “He is.”

“It hurts and I, I’m not okay,” Marco swallows heavily. “I’m not and I’m not getting, getting better Sabo. I, I thought you needed me to be strong and I-”

“You’re an idiot, I need you to be here. Ace is dead. We lost him, I don’t need you be anything stupid like strong or what other idiotic thing you got into your head,” Sabo trying not to cry. “I need you. Please, I- I can’t lose you too.”

“I’ll do better.”

“Good,” Sabo glances at the grave and his heart aches like part of it is made of the same stone, too hard to beat in his chest. “Ace would never forgive us if we were stupid. He- he was trying his best, even-”

“Even in the end?” Marco offers when Sabo can’t go on.

Sabo nods, “Even then. Remember how, how he would joke e-even though laughing made him cough and the nurses got mad?”

“He got Luffy to sneak him out while we were both at work,” Marco admits, tracing Ace’s name lightly. “Set something up for after, wouldn’t tell me what. Just, just to expect something on our anniversary. I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“I miss him so much,” Marco whispers, breath hitching. “Why did he have to go? Why won’t he come back to us?”

Sabo bites his lip, pressing into Marco’s side and pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to stop himself from crying. It burns and his heart feels like he’s missing something and he’s not sure he’ll ever stop feeling like that because Ace won’t ever come home. Ace is stuck in this grave forever.

“Ace probably thinks we’re such cry babies,” Sabo sniffles, pressing against Marco’s side. “I keep crying at work and I think some of my co-workers think I’m just weepy.”

“Fuck them.”

Sabo snorts, “Yeah, fuck them.”

“And Ace wouldn’t care. I bet Ace misses us, he,” Marco pauses and for a moment Sabo thinks Marco’s going to be stupid again but instead Marco let’s out a wet sounding almost laugh. “He always loved coming home to us. Loved being with us. I bet he misses us as much as we miss him.”

“I miss him,” Sabo agrees. “It burns. Why does it hurt so much, Marco?”

“I don’t know,” Marco answers softly, leaning back against him. “I don’t know and I wish he was here. Ace was always better at emotions than either of us. I-is it bad that I wish that I could have traded places with him?”

Sabo shakes his head, “I would trade places with him too.” His hand squeezes his phone, the background the picture from their last vacation together, the one where Ace had been too sick to do much, but had so insistent on spending all their time together. The others, the ones from after that, were all too painful. From when Ace were in the hospital or looked too sick and it broke Sabo’s heart more than anything he could bare to look at.

“We should go,” Marco says finally. “It’s late.”

“We’ll come back faster this time,” Sabo promises Ace, scooting closer and kissing the stone because he can’t kiss Ace and he always kissed Ace goodbye. “Promise. We’re sorry we left you alone so long this time.”

Walking away hurts the most, feels wrong and takes everything that Sabo has because Sabo shouldn’t have to walk away from Ace. He should never walk away from Ace and here he is leaving Ace and not even knowing when he’ll be back again. At least when he had travelled for work he had always known when he would return, now it’s less certain, Sabo hates that part.

“I think I can clear Friday,” Marco says taking his hand. “If you want to come see Ace again? I think we should visit more, he must be lonely.”

Sabo nods, “I think he’d like that,” He squeezes Marco’s hand. “Thank you. He’s, I can clear Friday. He’ll come and we can, can see him.”

The hardest part is not looking back, not glancing back because Sabo is so use to looking back at his lovers and waving when he leaves and laughing and watching them blow kisses and laugh, even now after almost a year. If he looks back, Sabo thinks for the longest, what feels like infinite moments between turning and actually seeing the gravestone, that he’ll see Ace one more time that he’ll see him, bright and smiling and wearing that stupid hat that they had buried him because they had thought it would make Ace happy and Ace had joked about it.

Sabo closes his eyes as Marco ushers him into the car instead to resist the urge. He can’t bare the urge and the disappointment, the heartbreak.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sabo whispers back, softly, burying his nose into Ace’s scarf and wondering if any of Ace’s things would still smell like him in their apartment. “Let’s go home.” His breath shudders as they pull out into traffic, it feels like they have another eternity without Ace.


	21. Accidental Child Acquisition part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> It's been the worst 2 weeks of my life and you're one of my favorite writers, and you said you were taking prompts but I am scare that that's done so please my guy if you're up for it, MAS raising Luffy??? You don't have to if you don't wanna, thank you for your time

Luffy sniffs, whining as his head throbs and his throat aches, curling into himself on the bed in the nurse’s office. It was gross and sticky and Luffy wanted to go home.

“He’s in here,” Luffy peeks from underneath the blankets as Ace stumbles into the room, his uniform messy. “We’ve made sure to give him plenty of liquids and kept an eye on him.”

“Thanks,” Ace says smiling politely at the nurse. “Lu, are you alright?”

“I don’t feel good,” Luffy whines holding his arms out of his hiding place. “I wanna go home, Acey.”

Ace makes a sad noise, lifting Luffy into his arms, “Okay baby, it’s okay. We’ll go home and make Sabo and Marco pick up soup and something other than water to drink. Some juice maybe.”

Luffy sniffles, hiding his face against Ace’s neck, “An-” He sneezes. “Sorry Acey.”

“It’s okay,” Ace sighs, wiping his neck clean. “Come on baby, let’s get you home.”

“Thank you, Acey.”

Ace runs a hand down Luffy’s back thanking the nurse and quickly escaping the school.

“I think I was too much of a horrible student,” Ace whispers to Luffy as he buckles him into the carseat. “They all remember me and keep trying to talk to me about things. I don’t like it.”

“Home now, Acey?”

“That’s right baby, we’re going to go home,” Ace pulls the blanket that Luffy left in the car that morning up over him. “Comfy?”

“Warm,” Luffy mutters almost hidden under the blanket, “Like warm, Acey.”

* * *

“How is he?” Marco asks leaning back in his chair. “It sounded pretty bad when the office called.”

“He’s not coughing, I don’t know why they said he was, but he’s sick. Sneezing and burning up but he’s not having any issues with coughing. Think you can get ahold of Sabo and pick up some soup? I don’t think Luffy’s going to let me move when we get back to he house.”

“I don’t think he will either. I’m sorry that I couldn’t get out of work to get him myself.”

Ace laughs, “It’s fine, Marco. The Chief wasn’t going to keep me at work when Luffy was that sick. And you have that meeting with the investor. Has he gotten there yet?”

“He’s meeting with Oyaji first and then with me. Have you heard from Sabo yet?”

“I think he’s dead underneath the books in the library. I’ve sent a text to Koala to see if she has seen him and possibly dig him out of the mess he’s buried under.”

Marco laughs, “Thank you. I sent Izo out to get some sports drinks and extra medicine since I couldn’t get out of work.”

“Thank you, Marco!” Ace says brightly. “I don’t think we have any good liquid for Luffy to drink beyond water and some juice.”

“I’ll come home as soon as I’m done with this meeting. See you in a few hours.”

“See you.”

* * *

“Acey, when are Sab and Co gonna come home?” Luffy asks.

Ace hums, shifting to let Luffy lay on his chest, “Marco will be home as soon as his meeting is over, that’s why Izo brought you juice and medicine. Sabo will be home as soon as he can.”

“Thank you for coming to pick me up, Acey.”

“Of course I was gonna come pick you up, baby. Did you think I was gonna let you stay at school all day sick?”

“Dragon-dad did.”

“Well, I’m not Dragon. If we can’t get there right away we will be there soon. You know Marco,” Ace whispers tapping Luffy’s nose. “Actually asked if I could get off because he would move his meeting to come and get you if I couldn’t.”

“Co was gonna do that for me?”

Ace nods, “That’s right baby. We wouldn’t make you stay at school like this.”

“Thank you for coming to get me Acey.”

* * *

“You’re in trouble,” Koala states coldly. “Your boys have been calling you for hours.”

“They have?” Sabo asks looking up from the texts that he had been almost hidden underneath. “Fuck. Luffy’s sick.”

“And Ace has already picked him up from school. You might want to head home soon to help out, apparently Luffy is extremely clingy when he’s sick.” Koala shows him the picture on her phone. “He won’t let go of Ace since they got home.”

Sabo makes a sad noise, “And I should get home now.”

“You should. Luffy thought you were going to leave him at school all day while he was sick, which is why he didn’t say he wasn’t feeling good when you all got him up this morning.”

“I’m going. Stop making me feel like a crappy parent.”

“You’re not a horrible parent, just horrible at keeping track of messages.”

“I’m going,” Sabo states hurrying out the room. “Stop saying things to me like that.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket as he hurries down the steps. “Hey, Ace?”

“You aren’t being eaten by books?” Ace teases quietly. “Sorry, Luffy’s asleep on me.”

“Do you need me to pick up anything?”

“Soup? Luffy won’t eat anything and we don’t have any soup since we all got sick three months ago and haven’t purchased more.”

“I can do that. Have you heard from Marco?”

Ace hums, “Finishing up his meeting and then coming home.”

“I should be there in thirty minutes, I’m sorry that I didn’t answer my phone. I was just so distracted.”

“You should be, pay more attention Sabo. Luffy thought he had to stay a school when he was sick.”

“And I’m the only one of us with a really flexible schedule,” Sabo sighs.

“It’s fine, we’re still learning to be his dads, it’s a work in progress,” Ace yawns. “See you when you get home?”

“See you soon.”

* * *

“Still sleeping?” Marco asks sliding in the front door as Ace steps out the kitchen.

“All cuddled up on the couch with Sabo. We are all going to catch this cold,” Ace agrees brightly. “I am so glad that I have so much sick leave saved up.”

Marco nods, “But he’s alright?”

“He’s fine, shocked everytime that he wakes up and it turns out that we’re actually here with him, but he’s fine.”

“I’ll go see him then,” Marco agrees kissing Ace’s cheek. “Thank you for picking him up from school.”

“You’re welcome, go tell Luffy that you’re home.”

Marco grins, “I will.”

Sabo waves from the couch, Luffy sprawled over him as he looks over his paper, “Hey, you’re back.”

“Meeting was easy to finish after I mentioned that my son was sick,” Marco whispers kissing Sabo. “How’s he doing?”

“Tired. Hasn’t eaten much, but he’s okay.”

“That’s good,” Marco grins brushing Luffy’s hair back from his face, “Sorry I couldn’t come and pick you up from school, buddy.”

“Co?”

“That’s right.”

“You came home early,” Luffy mumbles blinking at him in confusion. “You and Acey and Sab all came home.”

“Of course we did, Luffy. You’re sick, we’re not going to leave you at school all day. I was worried about you.”

Luffy hides his face, “Dragon-dad never did that for me.”

“Well, we aren’t him, remember?”

“I remember.”

“Go back to sleep, okay? We’ll wake you up in a little bit for dinner, okay?”

“Mhm kay, Co,” Luffy yawns, cuddling under his blanket. “I never had dads that came home when I was sick before,” He whispers to his bear and Marco fights down the urge to track Dragon down and punch him in the face. “I like them better than Dragon-dad.”


	22. Accidental Child Acquisition part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anonymous:  
> MarcoAceSabo doing parent things with luffy!!!

“Co,” Luffy sniffles, peeking out of the corner he had been placed in. “Can’t I come out now. I’ll be good.”

Marco shakes his head, “Back to the corner, little one. You were told to behave or you wouldn’t come to work with me today and you didn’t listen. You have two minutes left.”

“But Co!”

“But Luffy.”

Luffy pouts, turning his face back toward the wall as the door opened.

“Hey Mar-,” Luffy peeks at the man that is staring at him, tall with a funny hair style. “Why have you stolen a child? Is he crying? Why are you-?”

“Luffy is being punished, you can talk to him when he is done,” Marco states calmly, barely glancing up from his paperwork. “Back to the corner, little one.”

“But!”

“The corner, little one,” Marco repeats firmly. “You know better. Do you want me to tell Ace that he shouldn’t take you to work tomorrow?”

“No, don’t tell Acey that Co, I’ll be good!” Luffy begs turning back to the corner, wanting to peek but worried that Marco would follow through with his threat.

“Marco, Marco,” The man that had been in the doorway states in concern. “There is a child.”

“I know that,” Marco says easily. “Time is up, little one. Come here.”

Luffy hurries, scrambling into Marco’s lap to look up at the man from before, letting Marco rub a tissue over his face.

“Thatch meet Luffy. Luffy this is one of my brothers, Thatch. I brought Luffy to work for that thing.”

“The parent-child event?” Thatch asks.

“I asks Co if we could dress up the same!” Luffy adds proudly, playing with his tie, undone now but still hanging around his neck so that he would match. “He’s one of my dads.”

Thatch makes a noise and Luffy blinks at him, “Dads? Marco?”

“We adopted Luffy several months ago, I made an announcement about that,” Marco says dropping an absent minded kiss to the top of Luffy’s head as he looks over his paperwork. “I know that I did.”

“Well then,” Thatch says and Luffy thinks he sounds funny. “I’m your Uncle Thatch, Luffy.”

Luffy grins, “I’ve never had an uncle before. Co, I have an uncle.”

“You have a lot of uncles, little one. You know that, we’ve talked about this before now,” Marco says smiling. “Now, what are you doing here Thatch?”

“Paperwork?”

* * *

“Once upon a time,” Sabo reads Luffy cuddled in his lap. “There was a bear.”

Luffy pouts, “I don’t wanna read about a bear!”

“Oh, what does the little one want to read about?” Sabo asks closing the book and setting it to the side. “What should we read about tonight?”

“Pirates, Sab.”

Sabo laughs, kissing Luffy’s cheeks, “Pirates it is than, little one. What kind of pirates? An adventure?”

“Treasure! Adventure!”

“Calm, little one,” Sabo reminds Luffy. “It’s almost bed time. We can have that kind of story if you would like.”

“Good, I want a pirate story!”


	23. Doctor Who Au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> minister-of-silly-walks:  
> MarcoAceSabo + Ninth Dr?

“You’re an alien,” Marco sounds skeptical even after staying silent until he finished his cup of tea, his eyebrow is raised and his face is blank. “You look fairly human to me.”

“You look fairly Galifreyan,” Ace counters, arms crossing over his chest. “It’s a fairly common shape for bipedal beings, ya know.”

“You have an accent, I can’t place it, but I’m fairly sure that I’ve heard it before. Unless you can proof you’re an alien?”

Ace has never met a human that wasn’t willing to play along at least for a little while, the only one that he had failed to convince had been years ago and he had been young. They had been gone before he could get his TARDIS back and he hadn’t been able to find them again.

“I have a time machine!”

“A time machine,” Marco doesn’t sound impressed like he’s suppose to. Humans were always impressed by time machines. “Shouldn’t it be a space ship?”

“It’s both. Time and space. It’s a-”

“TARDIS?”

Ace blinks, eyes catching on the blond just short of the table, “Yeah. Yeah! It’s short for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space. Have we met?” actually, there’s something in that face that Ace knows. He doesn’t know what it is. “I’m Ace!”

“Sabo, thank you,” Marco sounds relieved at the sight of him. “I told you there was a young man here,” he stops. “Sabo?”

“I, there was a boy named Ace. Where I grew up, I mean. He,” Sabo hiccups and Ace tilts his head, because oh, that’s where he went. “He promised to show me the stars.”

“You never came back. I went there over and over but you never came back. I can’t cross my own timeline, or I would have stolen you away that way,” Ace says softly. “We could, go see them now? You wouldn’t be gone long.”

Marco glances between them, his eyes sharp, “You believe him?”

“He promised me,” Sabo whispers, like he needs Marco to understand something that isn’t being said. “A promise.”

“Fine, I guess that if it’s true that we could use a trip,” Marco is focused on Ace again, eyes sharp. Marco would kill him if this was a lie. “Lead the way, Ace.”

Ace grins, “Follow me!”

Ace knows what his TARDIS tends to look like. It’s an old phone booth with the windows tinted up that Sabo looks at in wonder and Marco sighs heavily over before he unlocks the door and lets them in.

“Well,” Marco’s voice is strained. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“It’s still bigger on the inside!” Sabo says brightly, his eyes moving over the light and spinning things. “It’s amazing.”

“Where and when do you want to go?” Ace asks stepping up to the console, running a hand along the edge, because he’s heard stories of what it was like to fly properly. To have all eight people needed. But he’s never been welcome on Galifrey, not even before it was locked away. “The universe is waiting.” 


	24. I really enjoyed our fight, but I'll be taking my brother home now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> authenticaussie:  
> "You knoe, I really enjoyed our fight, but I'll be taking my brother home now." MAS *ofc* (ps. ily :3c 

Sabo balances on the railing of the ship, knowing that he was well hidden in the darkness and by the sounds of the men that are dancing and partying. Enough that he will have to wait, since he can’t risk trying to take them all himself.

“You’re going to miss all the fun,” Sabo frowns, watching the oldest commander of the Whitebeard Armada moving towards Ace. “You agreed to know with us, it’s not as if you were captured.”

“Oh yes,” Ace snarls, teeth bared. “Not captured, but not given a choice. Either go with you or you would harm my friend.”

He laughs, “I don’t think you would kiss a friend like that, but I don’t seem to remember any threats,” Ace’s eyes narrow. “I didn’t make any threats and as far as I know, there were no threats. Were there threats?”

“If you don’t know, then maybe you aren’t in control as you think,” Ace answers and Sabo fights back a smirk. “You won’t convince that I’ll be happy here.”

“We could go back for him too. Would you be happier then?”

Ace raises an eyebrow, “You think anyone would be happy to get held captive? That you could destroy all of our plans and we would thank you for it? That’s the height of selfishness.”

“Were you happy?” Ace blinks and Sabo tilts his head. “With your friend. The two of you, were you happy there?”

“What do you mean, was I happy? What right do you have to ask that? You kidnapped me. You forced me to come here.”

The commander tips his head to the side, “I don’t remember forcing you, but if that’s the way that you-”

“I think that you should back away from him,” Sabo states, pressing his sword against the man’s back. “Unless you have a desire to fight.”

“Sabo?” Ace whispers glancing back to where the party is winding down, eyes wide. “You came?”

“I’m not going to leave you here.”

“Pardon, but did either of you remember that I am still here?” The commander asks curiously, his hands held up to show that they empty.

“Does it look like I care, person?”

“Marco. My name is Marco, thank you. And you’re Sabo, correct?”

Sabo huffs a broken laugh, “I’m not answering your questions. I’m here for Ace and we are going home.”

He startles when the man, Marco, spins, grinning dangerously and stepping away, his sword appearing in his hand as if by magic, “Then I suppose we’ll have to fight then.”

“I’m going to win.”

“We’ll see. Do tell Ace that he’ll need to stay out of this, two against one isn’t the fairest of odds.”

Sabo nods, “Ace, if you don’t mind?”

“I’m going to drink all the wine on this ship,” Ace sighs rolling his eyes as he steals the cup that Marco had set to the side. “Well, fight. Next time, I get the next fight.”

“En guarde?” 

“En guarde.”

Sabo dances back, catching the flat of Marco’s blade on his own with a smirk, pushing it up and twisting to slash at him, scowling as he was blocked.

“Attacking so fast?” Marco laughs, ducking under a swipe and kicking at Sabo’s knee. “You would think you were more defensive.”

“Maybe I just want to break you down,” Sabo retorts, bouncing backwards and then pressing forward, trying to break inside his guard. “Make you suffer.”

“Fight,” Ace cheers, waving his wine bottle. “Go, go.”

Marco glances to the side, eyebrow raising as he catches the fist Sabo threw at him, “Is he?”

“He wants to fight and we’re taking all the fun,” Sabo answers twisting his wrist and kicking out Marco’s knees. “So, you know, I’ve enjoyed our fight, but I’ll be taking Ace and going home.”

“We should take him too,” Ace says standing up and fixing his hat onto his head and finishing off the bottle. “I mean, revenge.”

Sabo stares at Ace before glancing down at Marco, “You want to kidnap one of Whitebeard’s commanders?”

“Sure. I mean, we could have fun with him.”

“I suppose it’s only fair. He stole you and so we can steal him?” Sabo lifts his blade from Marco’s neck. “Unless you are really against it?”

“Kidnapping sounds like less paperwork, to be honest.”


End file.
